A Bargain at Any Price
by RacingStripes
Summary: Slash. Xander's dad sells him to Spike.
1. Default Chapter

Bargain at Any Price

Summary: Xander's dad sells him to Spike.

Warning: This will be slash, which is hello, gay now! Heh.

Pairings: S/X

Disclaimer: They're not mine and it's not fair. (pouts)

Feedback: It's worshipped and coddled. snicker_imp@msn.com

Xander thanked the powers for the fifth time that day that Spike was no longer in his care. He wasn't sure what he would have done to get rid of him for his father's yearly visit. He paced the length of his living room looking for anything out of place. It was only his father, a man he truly despised, but for some reason his visits always brought out the Martha Stewart in him. The apartment was spotless, and for that matter so was he, dressed in his work best. Anything to make a good impression.

He snorted to himself derisively. By all rights he should just meet the man in a nice infested graveyard and be done with it. He carefully ignored the bottle sitting on the end table. For years he had been fighting against his father's particular habit, but a part of him was prodding him to have a drink. Just one to relax. He growled at himself and began pacing twice as intently, careful to not look at the end table. There were two glasses. He didn't even remember getting more than one out of the cupboard.

The glass made very satisfying crack as it hit the wall. It was more than a little tempting to chuck the other one, but he didn't want to be rude to his houseguest. "Apartment guest? No. Maybe total ass whose soul purpose is to make life my living hell. That's more like it."

"Good going Xander. He's not even here yet, and you're already losing it enough to start talking to yourself again." He shook himself and took some deep breaths. "Just relax." He told himself, "He couldn't make you do anything you don't want to."

The sudden pounding on the door startled him into a really embarrassing yip kind of scream. He tried to compose himself but as he opened the door to reveal a bruised and bloody Spike, his calm fled for the hills most likely never to return.

Xander's moment of hesitation was all it took for Spike to slide past him with barely a glance in his direction and went directly in to the bathroom. Xander didn't move until he heard the door click and water start to run.

"Shit," he said, shook himself, and pounded on the bathroom door. "Spike, I don't care what happened to you, what's after you, or why you even came here, but you are going to have to leave now." He said, trying to keep his voice steady and commanding.

"Well you should never have invited me in, then, eh?" Spike yelled back over the noise of the shower. 

"Well, now I'm inviting you out. Don't you have somewhere else to haunt? What about Buffy?" Xander yelled back. He rolled his eyes and entered the bathroom.

Spike was in the shower, safely concealed by the ugly maroon shower curtain. "And be tied to a chair again? I don't think so. 'Sides, I don't think I could stand the little pity party thrown in my honor."

"You're sounding surprisingly lucid, tonight." Xander said and smiled a little when he saw the Spike silhouette start at the proximity of his voice. "And since you're sounding so sane, I'm sure you can find a place to go."

Spike peered around the shower curtain suspiciously, "Why do you want me out so badly, whelp?"

Xander's gaze was drawn to the lean chest. It was almost a physical hardship to draw his eyes away from the cuts and gashes and blood washing away down the drain. Finally, he met Spikes smirking eyes.

"Because I don't like you?" He said and cringed. It was never a good sign when his statements came out sounding like questions. Or when he couldn't stop staring at a male vampire's bloody chest.

Spike just smirked again and went back to his showering. "Good try, now sod off and lemme shower."

Xander was about to answer when a firm yet controlled knocking was heard at his door.

"Eep." He squeaked. Fortunately, the bathroom door swung out, so he shut Spike in and put a chair under the knob to keep him in place. A quick check in the mirror showed him a very frazzled but not too untidy young man. With a nervous flick at invisible lint, he opened the door.

"Alexander," his father nodded at him gravely.

"Dad." Xander answered somberly, "come in." He moved out of the doorway giving his father room to pass before closing and locking the door behind him. 

His father imperiously took in the apartment in a way that made Xander very conscious of the second hand furniture and dollar store decor. He found himself wanting to make apologies for the place but held his tongue. He knew for a fact that his father had lived in far worse conditions. Even worse than the basement.

"Would you like a drink?" He asked, and gestured toward the bottle. At the curt nod from his father, he poured the drink and handed it over.

His father sniffed it appraisingly and smiled at the young man. "Why this is very nice, Alexander. Aren't you going to join me?"

Xander didn't even fight the glare provoked from that question. "No, I don't think so." He said struggling to keep his voice even. His father's voice was polite, but Xander sensed clearly the mockery just below the surface.

"No, of course not," the older man sneered. 

Xander fidgeted awkwardly and wondered idly if he was cursed. When a sudden pounding erupted from the bathroom, he stopped wondering.

"Oi! You bloody pillock! Lemme out!" Spike hollered.

Xander's face quickly turned a very amusing shade of red as his father regarded him.

"You're keeping a man locked up in your apartment?" He asked evenly.

"Um, no." Xander replied, and cursed himself for his unusual loss for words.

Spike, however was not suffering from such a malady. "Let me out you wanker, 'fore I bust down the door, tear out your throat and have my way with your action figures!" His yells were punctuated by a very conspicuous snarl.

Xander's father arched an eyebrow in surprise. "You're keeping a vampire locked up in your apartment?" His voice wasn't so even that time.

Xander's brain was going a mile a minute, trying to come up with excuses. He's just a friend. Snerk. Yeah that would work. He owes me money? Well, he does, but that's no reason to lock him up. The Slayer made me do it? Oh, that would go over real well. Unfortunately, by the time his brain had caught up with him, his father had already made his way over to the bathroom and released the angry soggy vampire.

"Ta, mate," Spike said distractedly to his savior. His attention was completely focused on exacting revenge from the demented Scooby who had the brass to lock him in the loo. He advanced on Xander in full game face. The young man backed away babbling excuses that went unheard as he was herded into the end table by the enraged vamp.

"Ow," Xander said as he hit the table. One of the corners jabbed him in the hip, and the bottle was knocked over, contents distributed all over his pants.

Spike smirked, "Looks like you spilled you...blood?" He sniffed. Yes, that was definitely blood covering the Scooby. Good look for him. Then he remembered the man who released him and whirled around in shock.

Xander's father stood by the bathroom door, and watched the little scene before him. "Spike." He nodded greeting to the vampire.

Spike's eyes widened comically before he restored his calm disinterest. "Been a while, mate. What brings you to Sunnyhell?"

"Oh, just visiting my son." was the answer. Xander groaned and thumped his head against the wall at Spikes evil grin.

"Really? How interesting," he drawled, eyeing Xander from head to toe. "I never would 'ave guessed." He turned his attention back to the older man. "By the way, you still owe me that eleven quid. 'course after almost fifty years of interest the sums gone up a bit, but I'm sure you can afford it."

Dracula rolled his eyes, "Really Spike, I don't see why you're still on about that money. You did cheat after all."

Spike smiled nastily, "Course I did. So did you. 's kinda the point of the game."


	2. Not much happens

A Bargain at Any Price

Notes: All right, this is going to be really AU. Sorry that I didn't write that before. Bad, bad me! Also, as for Spoilers, I haven't really watched Buffy for the past three seasons, so anything that coincides with the show, I probably just got off of the previews. I'm ignoring the First Evil, though Spike has a soul. Makes no sense, I know. Hope I haven't caused too much confusion. Thanks to all who gave feedback! Hopefully, I can live up to it. Heh.

Dracula smiled, almost impishly, "Well my game has improved a bit since then, if you're interested in double or nothing?"

"I'll pass thanks." Spike answered, " 'S'not like there's a decent course around here."

Xander blinked, blankly. "Golf?" He said, incredulously and shot a skeptic glance toward his father. "You play golf?"

"Yes, Alexander," his father answered evenly.

"With him?" he asked and gestured to the vampire that was staring at him like he was Gil Grissom and Xander was a beetle.

"Yes," Vlad repeated. A vaguely familiar smirk appeared on his face and only got bigger as Xander's face grew pale. "We tried to bring Drusilla along, but she kept getting in the way talking to the little people that lived in the holes."

"Oh god," Xander groaned, "I'm never getting the image of you and Spike wearing polyester checkered pants and sweater vests out of my head."

Vlad rolled his eyes, "Go change your pants, Alexander."

Xander gritted his teeth and glared at his father. Vlad stared back, calmly. Spike looked back and forth between the happy family. Xander glared. Dracula stared. Xander glared. His father arched and eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. Xander sighed dramatically and went to change his pants.

"Impressive," Spike said, grinning.

Dracula grinned back, "There's no better way to inspire obedience in a child that threatening the lives of their friends and making them eat bugs."

"Brilliant," Spike said, before getting serious, "so, how in the bloody hell did you do it?"

"Do what?" 

Spike tilted his head skeptically, "What do you think I mean? Xander, o'course! How is it possible for you to have a kid?"

"Now if I told you that, what would stop you from making a little half-breed of your own?" Vlad practically cooed. There was nothing more that he loved than lording over a new trick that no one else knew.   
"Smug bastard," Spike snarled.

Vlad chuckled and poured himself a glass of what was left of the spilled blood. The spreading, sticky stain disappeared with a wave of his hand. Spike merely rolled his eyes and flopped down on the couch. 

"You really should retire those cute little magic tricks, honestly." Spike snarked.

"Jealous," Vlad huffed and joined Spike on the sofa. "Good god," he sneered, staring at the sofa in disgust, "What was Alexander thinking buying this...thing? He knows better than to buy something that shows bloodstains so vividly."

"Actually, I think the demon chit picked that out."

"Oh yes, Anyaka." Vlad mused, "It's a shame Xander abandoned her at the altar. I've always admired her style."

"She had style, until the whelp made her go soft." Spike sighed, "Now she's just bloody annoying. Still a pretty good shag, though."

A wistful smile flitted across Vlad's face, "Mmhm."

"Oh god," Xander groaned, "I am in hell." He stood next to the end table, washrag in hand. When he managed to tear his scowl away from the two vampires to mop up the spill, he noticed it was gone. An eye roll and tossed rag later, he sat down in an armchair facing the undead. "I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear you two talking about sleeping with Ahn, and I am changing the subject." He then took on a more cordial tone, "So, Dad, did you have any trouble finding the place?"

"Oh no, not really. A very sweet old woman and her dog pointed me in the right direction." Vlad answered.

Xander paused a moment, "Uh, good. Mrs. Barry's pretty cool. Always asks why I'm still single." He said, winced and hurried on, "I fixed her crooked cupboard the other day."

"Riveting," Vlad deadpanned. He looked over at Spike whose head was twisting back and forth eyeing Xander and Vlad critically. Vlad gave him a friendly pat on the back, "Spike, it's been lovely to see you as always, now if you don't mind, I have a bit of catching up to do with my son. You don't mind giving us a bit of space, do you?"

Spike shot a questioning glance at Xander, who's expression remained neutral. "All right," he agreed, "Not my place to come between family." He stood and gathered his jacket from the bathroom floor.

Dracula was waiting for him at the door. "Is there a decent establishment around here where a couple of old friends can reminisce in peace?" he inquired quietly.

Spike nodded. "Willy's is fairly decent. And by fairly, I mean, you'll be able to find it by smell alone."

Vlad smirked then grew serious, "I'll meet you there in a couple of hours. And Spike?"

"What,"

"Let's not tell anyone about Alexander's little secret, shall we." Dracula ordered softly, the threat clear in his eyes. Spike peeked over his shoulder at Xander who looked back, and for the first time, looked like he realized just what Spike could do to him. In fact, he looked positively green.

"Secret's safe with me," Spike said, not taking his eyes off the young man.

"Excellent." Vlad said, and guided Spike outside and closed the door on him.

Spike stood in the hallway and tried to absorb what had just happened. All he wanted was a shower. And now he's stuck in another one of Dracula's little games. As messed up as Xander clearly was he really was surprisingly sane to have that sadistic bastard as a father. 

He wasn't sure whether or not he should keep his appointment. It wouldn't take long for Vlad to notice that something was off with him. Most he could just explain away with the chip. It really wouldn't do to have Vlad be privy to his newly souled state.

He heard a very distinctive commotion from in the stairwell. When he got out into the lobby, he was hit by the smell of blood. Cops and tape covered the small clearing. A crowd of rubberneckers had swarmed from their comfortable homes to stare.

With a quick look around to make sure that no one had noticed his presence, he slid back into the stairwell, lingering just long enough to hear enough to confirm his suspicions.

"Who would be sick enough to do something like that to Mrs. Barry?"

"The police said it was a satanic cult. And this isn't the first time this has happened."

"A cult in Sunnydale?"

"I know! You never think something like this could happen in such a sleepy quiet town."

Spike just shook his head as he made his way up the stairs. While he had once reveled in the freedom in having such rock stupid residents, he was now disgusted with the sheep waiting patiently for the slaughter.

The sharp tang of blood followed him to the second floor landing. There had been quite a bit of it. Much more than should be left behind after a feeding. He shimmied down the fire escape and was securely ensconced in the rank sewer's darkness before the cop set to guard the alley could even turn around.

His head spun from the recent encounter and of course, the smell as he made his way towards the Summer's residence. Whether or not Vlad was Xander's father, the vampire was extremely dangerous. And with Dracula's fascination with Buffy, the Slayer had to be warned.

He felt more than a twinge of guilt from leaving Xander alone with the older vampire. But he couldn't forget the look on Xander's face when his father brought up the old woman. Then and there, Xander knew she was dead, Spike was sure of it. And it wasn't the slightest bit surprising to Xander. Clearly, the young man was experienced with dealing with Vlad and knew just what he was capable of.


	3. Bonding, angst, etc

Well, another part down, this one thanks to my brother, who caught me playing Neopets and threatened to make the sad puppy face unless I kept writing. Still AU, and for some reason, I'm throwing in an original character. Thanks, again for the reviews. They make me smile a lot.

As soon as the door was closed, Dracula was across the room and directly in the face of his son.

"Well, well, Alexander. I must say, I am impressed with company you are keeping." Vlad purred and stared darkly. Xander fought to keep from flinching.

Dracula took a step back and smiled brightly, "Now, how about a drink?" he asked and pulled out a couple of blood bags. He ignored Xander's groan of irritation and poured a couple of glasses. "Come on now, you haven't fed in a very long time, clearly. You're almost as weak and pathetic as a human."

"That was the idea," Xander bit out. He stood well away from his father and the temptation he held in his hand. 

"You know you won't survive much longer like this. You're body was made to drink." Vlad said, and approached his son.

Xander backed away, "And by much longer, you mean just a paltry human life span. Maybe that's all I want."

In barely a blink of the eye, Dracula had Xander by the throat and pinned against the wall. Xander gasped and struggled in the unyielding grip.

"I mean, you won't survive a paltry goldfish's lifespan. You're slow and you're weak. And you're getting weaker every day. Unless you feed, you will be easy pickings for the lowliest of creatures here. Right now, you're nothing more than prey." Dracula spoke softly, practically whispering. He dropped his son on the floor.

Xander fell limply and coughed. Vivid bruises were forming around his throat.

Dracula crouched on the floor in front of him. "Oh, Alexander." he tsked, "Two years ago you could have broken out of my grip. You know it breaks my heart to see you like this." He got up and paced back and forth in the living room.

"I'm thinking that you can't be trusted on your own anymore. If you're not going to take proper care of yourself, then clearly you'll need a caretaker."

"Who, you?" Xander scoffed, "You can't even be bothered for child support."

"Cute." Dracula said. "Jessica knew that if you ever were in need of anything, all she had to do was ask. Instead she decided to depend on that lout of a husband." He paused and looked thoughtful, "I suppose I could leave you in the tender care of your stepmothers."

Xander didn't even try to suppress a shudder. "I hope you're joking. Those bimbos can't even take care of themselves."

"Yes, well, I'm just thinking out loud, here. If you have any requests, feel free to interject."

Xander rolled his eyes, "Um, well, here's an idea. How about, no one?"

The request earned a distracted pat on the head. "Perhaps I could leave you with Templeton."

"Um," Xander said, "Templeton's cool and all, but Thane threatened to eat my face the next time he saw me, and seeing as how he's attached to Templeton, I don't think that arrangement would work out so well."

"Hmm. You'd definitely behave in their care," Vlad replied, and quirked an eyebrow, "But it would be a matter of time before you annoyed Thane." He sat down on the couch. It was a well-practiced talent that made him appear as regal as if he was on a throne even when perched on something with a visible Lazy Boy tag.

He signaled for Xander to join him. Xander paused, before relenting and sitting on the far side of the couch. 

"Come here, Alexander." Vlad ordered. His tone was compelling and Xander's eyes went blank as he scooted down to sit beside his father.

Somehow, Vlad had two glasses of blood in his hands and he handed one to Xander. He drank his own and watched his son very carefully. In an almost zombie like trance, Xander brought the glass to his lips, and the blood had just touched his lips when the spark reappeared in his eyes.

"You bastard," Xander snarled, "I am not your buttmonkey!"

Vlad sighed. 

"At least you haven't entirely lost your spirit." he said, and rose from the couch. He set down the empty glass and inclined his head slightly at his son. "I will give some thought to your new caretaker, and we shall have another chat before I must leave. Until then, I have some catching up to do, and you should consider whether your constant disobedience and self-denial would help you in the end. You are damned as sure as my blood runs through your veins. Whether you decide to live your life as a predator or as prey makes no difference."

With that, Vlad swept out of the apartment, leaving Xander standing alone and sickened. As always, his father knew exactly what to say to tear him apart inside. Why the man never followed through, Xander would never know. He swallowed and reflexively started to drink from the glass still clenched in his hand. He caught himself and grimaced.

Blood and glass impacted against the wall and joined the remains of the previous glass on the floor as Xander slumped down to his knees and concentrated on the very involved task of remaining breathing.

Willy's was usually fairly quiet on Saturday nights. Since most of the humans like to stay out late, it's prime hunting time, so not too many demons cared to waste their time in the bar. Spike sat in a booth and watched a couple of brownies attempt to shoot pool. Considering they were two feet tall and played while standing on the pool table made for fairly interesting viewing, though Spike was having trouble focusing on anything in particular at that moment.

The visit with Buffy had been more enlightening than he really cared for. Everything had seemed fairly normal when he first arrived, and of course by normal, it was in its usual state of chaos and confusion.

As usual, the door was unlocked. Spike shook his head and locked the door behind him. Just because vampires needed an invitation, didn't mean there wasn't plenty of other unfriendly critters just waiting to get a crack at the Slayer.

Everyone was gathered in the living room. Buffy, Dawn, and Willow sat on the couch talking to some young man he hadn't seen before, while Giles and Anya argued over a book across the room.

"Buffy," Spike called. 

Buffy's head whipped around. She almost smiled, but her expression quickly turned sober. "Spike." she said and let that just hang in the air for a moment. Then she noticed that everyone was staring at her staring at Spike, so she subtly shook herself. 

"Dracula's back." Spike stated and mentally kicked himself. It seemed like every day he ended up just a bit more like that brooding poof of a sire. 

"We know." Willow said. She gestured to the young man sitting beside her who promptly blushed and looked down at his feet. "Eric told us," she continued, "He's been tracking him for a few years now."

Eric stood and fidgeted nervously, "Um, hello. I'm Eric Spencer." He extended his hand that Spike just stared at. Eric was a painfully awkward young Brit. The kind of young man that people tended to erroneously believe Giles was at one time. In him, Spike saw a lot of himself at that age.

"Erm, right," Eric said, "You're a vampire hunter, as well?"

"Oh yeah," Spike answered and fought back a smirk, "That's what I am. And what exactly might you be?"

The young man grinned sheepishly, "Well on the average day I'm an accountant, but for the purpose of my current errand I fear that I'm a fellow vampire hunter."

"In that case, fear sounds like a good idea." Spike said.

The smile slipped a little off of Eric's face. "Yes...yes, I suppose that's right." He then did a fair approximation of what he had heard the scoobies refer to as a resolve face, "but I want to get married and I won't let my fiance have to face my family's legacy."

"Mr. Spencer is the last of the Van Helsing line." Giles interjected. 

Eric's complexion somehow got even more crimson. "My mother finally passed on last year. Dracula put her into a coma that lasted four years. My father..." Eric tried to collect himself, "My father was torn apart and left all around the house in gift boxes, just for daring to marry a Van Helsing. I won't let Angela face that danger. Either he dies or I do."

The kid had a spine, at least. Of course, Dracula would only be too glad to rip it out. 

"Well, looks like we have a new hunt in the works. I was getting bored." Spike said, throwing as much false bravado into it as he could muster.

The group quickly fell back into the research party, with the new guy pointing out the various places that Dracula liked to hide. Oddly enough, none of them came close to Xander's place. Surely if the young man had been watching Dracula for the past few years, then he had to have noticed visits to his only son. Spike planned to get Eric alone and question him. It took a while, but eventually he managed to end in a corner far enough away from the rest of the gang to converse freely.

He was about to speak, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face a very serious looking Buffy.

"Spike," she said, "We need to talk."


	4. A little conversation and a lot of liquo...

All right, after a week of job hunting and wretched writer's block, I've finally gotten some more done on this. *sigh* You know, this really wasn't intended to be so plotty, but what can I do? It's taken a life of its own. As always, thanks for all the feedback, you guys are wonderful. And thanks for reading.

"I've started seeing someone." Buffy stated. She and Spike stood alone in the dining room, and there was a lot of space between the two.

Spike blinked a couple of times before responding, "Is it that Principal fellow?"

Buffy looked confused for a moment until realization hit. Her eyes widened and she half smiled. "Um, no. I don't mean seeing someone like that. I mean that I'm seeing a therapist."

"Oh" Spike said. He didn't have much that he could think to say.

"I'd thought about it before, but I never thought I'd have anything that I'd be able to say, you know," Buffy said, and looked very small at that moment. "But, as it turns out," she kind of laughs, "I have plenty to tell her without even getting near the whole evil demons and monsters and impending apocalypses." She took a deep breath and met his eyes. 

"I finally get to just talk about my mother's death, and raising Dawn, and being overwhelmed by my responsibilities, though I obviously can't go into depth on what exactly those are, but at least I can get some of it off my chest." She clenched her jaw slightly, "And I told her about the attempted rape."

Every cell in Spike's body stopped functioning for a moment. They had been tip toeing around the subject since he had returned with his soul.

Buffy saw his discomfort, but continued, "I think I'm finally getting things together. I think I'm allowing myself the opportunity to not be the strong one all the time. And I think it's helping." She took a deep breath and continued, "And I think what I need most right now is to not have you around."

Spike visibly crumbled in on himself. This was something he'd been waiting for, holding the breath he didn't use in anticipation every day he'd been back. 

"I see." He said, quietly.

"I just have to remember who I am. I've been so wrapped up in being the slayer, that I haven't spent a whole lot of time being myself. And around you, I tend to forget everything else in my life and that it is just as important. More important a lot of the time."

Spike nodded. He loved her. But watching her fade away into a soulless soldier was painful. Possibly more painful than living without her. He'd soon find out.

"What did you tell your therapist about your rapist?" he asked, just as he walked out the door.

Buffy smiled slightly, "I said that he died."

Spike left through the back door, locking it behind him with an eye roll, and headed straight for Willy's. He couldn't have cared less about meeting Dracula. He cared more of the prospect of meeting up with Johnnie Walker.

An hour later, he was watching the pool game and cursing Willy for watering down the drinks. He was way too lucid for his liking when Dracula swept in. The brownies to one look at the prince of darkness and disappeared in to puffs of smoke leaving Willy complaining about their unpaid bar tab.

"Rough night?" Dracula asked as he made a small show of counting the shot glasses stacked on the table.

Spike rolled his eyes, "No it's been just bloody peachy." He sat up a bit straighter in his chair and stared forlornly at the empty bottle he was holding. "How was the father son chat?" he asked, offhandedly as he shook the empty bottle a couple of times to be absolutely sure there was no more.

Dracula didn't answer. Instead, he got up and went to the bar. He hopped lithely over the counter and grabbed a couple of bottles off the shelf and a glass from the counter. He just smirked at Willy, who stared at him with wide eyes, which glazed over as the bartender slumped to the floor.

He sat back down at the table, poured himself a drink and tossed it back without a word.

"I take it that the two of you didn't have a Brady moment." Spike sneered and grabbed a bottle. 

"I don't know what ever possessed me to have a kid." Dracula moaned, "Minions are so much better. Have a quick meal, and let them spend a couple of days in a grave, and there you go. Instant children. They're eager to please, mostly obedient and housebroken." 

"So why did you?" Spike asked idly. About an hour ago, he actually cared. As it was, he would do well to remember he even asked.

"I don't really know." Dracula answered. "Seemed like a good idea at the time." He scowled, "Of course that was before Jessica decided she didn't care to be the bride of Dracula and got married to a bum." He sighed. "Things just got complicated after that."

"Jessica?" Spike looked surprised, "Jessica Harris?"

Dracula got a sad smile, "Trust me, back then it was Jessica Burton." He sighed and continued making his way through the bottle of boosted booze.

"Jessica Burton." Spike mused, "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Oh, I'm sure you've heard of her," Vlad said, "Especially hanging around here." He gestured around at the bar. "She was quite a heartbreaker among the demon crowd. The human crowd, too as it turned out. No one was quite sure just what it was about her, but something in her just...called."

Spike stared incredulously at the vacant smile on his companion's face. He couldn't put together in his head the shrill voice that came from above Xander's basement and the mysterious woman who somehow entranced the great bloody hypnotist, himself. 

"And she passed you up for Anthony Harris?" Spike asked, skeptically.

The vacant smile disappeared and Vlad groaned as his head hit the table with a thump. 

"I'll never understand women." The famous vampire sighed.

Xander entered the Summer's residence with quite a bit of trepidation. He was sure Spike hadn't told anyone about him. The look Spike gave him before taking off seemed genuine. Then again, with Spike it was always hard to tell when he was being sincere. One minute he's a swell comrade in the fight against evil and the next he's screwing Anya on camera.

Only Giles and Anya were around when he arrived. Anya immediately found something important to do in another room, with only the most disinterested glances towards her ex-fiance. 

Giles, however, acknowledged his existence. "I'm glad you were able to make it. I hate to pull you away from your obligations, but this is very important, I'm afraid."

"Yeah well, how often does an evil bloodsucking foe return for revenge?" Xander snarked good humouredly, "Oh, yeah, know I remember. All the time."

As usual, Giles paid no notice of Xander's attempt at levity. He handed the young man a book and returned to his own tome. 

Xander looked down at his book in confusion. "Um, why am I researching hydras? I know I'm not Mr. Knowledge guy, but I'm pretty sure that Dracula is not a hydra."

There was a brief flash of guilt on the ex-watcher's face. That was enough for Xander.

"Oh I see." Xander spit out, "Keep me occupied with phony work so I don't betray everyone to Dracula, again." He closed the book and pushed it to the side. "You know, it just might be possible that I could have matured some since he was last here."

Xander's uncharacteristically terse tone immediately gained Giles's full attention. 

"Xander, while I believe that you have grown up quite a bit, Dracula is simply far too dangerous of an adversary to risk any possible leakage of information. I know all too well how compelling he can be, and while it may give you a bout of hurt feelings, it's much better to remain cautious and spare the possible pain and death if you were to be taken in again."

"Which is why Anya did her disappearing act as soon as I showed up." Xander said, dully. "You both know something important that I shouldn't have access to, and while Anya may be able to remove all the vital organs from a man in alphabetical order, she can't keep a secret if her life depended on it." He chuckled grimly. "At least this time it wasn't something I did."

"Xander..." Giles started.

Xander cut the older man off, "It's okay, G-man," he said, the old Xander good humor coming back into his expression, "I may not like it, but I don't want to do anything that could lead to someone getting dead." He smiled crookedly, "Besides, I'm not eager to end up munching on bugs again. I had to use a lot of toothpaste after that experience. Not as much as after I broke up with Cordelia, but more than the time that I ate a pig, anyway."

The lame attempt at a joke convinced Giles that the young man wasn't taking his exclusion too hard, at least he hoped. However, that wouldn't stop him from keeping a sharp eye on Xander. He wouldn't let him be taken in by Dracula again, and he only hoped that he got Xander here in time.

He wasn't completely at ease about that considering the young man showed up in a turtle neck shirt, which to his recollection, Xander had never worn before.

Note: Okay, I promise Xander will be sold next chapter. Really! And I won't take a week to get it done, either.


	5. A pretty good deal, if I do say so

Well, so far this was the most fun chappie to write. Hopefully, it'll be as much fun to read. As always people who read this are lovely wonderful people and those who give feedback are gods and goddesses among mankind. Also, I'm not afraid of constructive critisism, so if I'm misspelling or butchering my grammar, don't be afraid to let me know. 

After two hours and way too much Cuervo, the two feared master vamps had decided to play darts. For some reason, Willy hadn't had a single customer stay for more than a few seconds, though Willy didn't mind at all, seeing as how he was still snoring away peacefully behind the bar.

Even falling down drunk, Spike could kick Dracula's ass at darts. While the older vampire was proficient in strategy, control and illusion, his aim was pitiful. When Willy eventually came to he'd be pretty annoyed by all the holes in his wall.

"How much do I owe you?" Dracula asked as he took aim somewhere in the vicinity of the dartboard.

Spike did a bit of calculation on his fingers, "Er, I think you're down at least two thousand bucks, mate."

Dracula looked pensive. As well as a bit wobbly, "How about we go double or nothing?" he inquired.

"You're serious?" Spike arched an eyebrow.

"Dead serious." Dracula replied, before breaking down into giggles, "Heh, get it? Dead?"

Spike just winced. He began to wonder if Xander's reluctance to drink alcohol really came from being raised by drunks, or just a fear of acting like a total tosser like his dear old dad.

"You're on," Spike said. Even neutered and souled, he had no problem with taking this arse's money.

He went to grab another bottle and heard three thumps and a groan. When he turned back around, Vlad was glowering and there wasn't a single dart on the board. In fact, it looked like there was actually one stuck in the ceiling.

Vlad attempted in vain to look imposing as he sniffed out imperiously, "Best two out of three of course."

Spike merely tilted his head in acknowledgement. He had nothing to fear. "Of course."

Two hours later, Vlad was over fifty thousand dollars in the hole. Willy had woken up once during the game, took one look at the glowering elder vampire and hit the floor again making some fairly impressive fake snores.

Spike smirked and leaned against the bar. It was a suave James Dean kind of lean that in no way was the sole thing keeping him standing.

"I think I'm through with darts," Spike said, "I think that it's time to pay up."

Vlad glared daggers at the offending dartboard and sighed. "I've never had this long of a bad luck streak." he mused, "I must have really pissed someone off this time." He scratched his head, "I can't think of anyone who'd have reason to hate me, at least, anyone who's still alive."

He wobbled over to brace himself on the bar beside Spike. Spike rolled his eyes.

"Yes, you're a pathetic bastard and the 'ole world's against you. Now how're you planning to pay me? I hate banks, so wiring money's out."

Vlad looked at him speculatively. It was an imposing look, even if the eyes weren't completely focused. 

"How about I give you something of greater value?" 

Spike looked skeptical. "What do you have that I'd want?"

"Well," Vlad drawled, "Perhaps an idea of how to get around that pesky chip."

All emotion instantly evaporated from Spike's face. "What do you know about a chip?" he asked in a blatantly false bored tone.

"Oh, plenty." Vlad answered, "I do try to pay attention to the events here. After all, I have to know what my son has gotten himself into."

"So what do you have in mind?" he asked and looked intrigued. 

Vlad looked very pleased with himself. So much so, it made Spike regret not changing the subject.

"How about a minion? Since you can't make any of your own in your current state, I'll give you sire's right to one."

It took Spike a moment to answer. Had he been his old self, it would have been an ideal situation. Hell, even with a soul it was tempting. It was nice to have a few minions to order around and take out his frustrations on.

"How do I know they'd obey me? I mean, most vamps don't like being acquainted with a biteless master." Spike asked.

Vlad's irritating grin got bigger, "Oh, I think I have just the minion for you. I've put a lot of work into training him over the past twenty-one years, and while he's quite spirited, he can be very obedient."

"Oh, well, I guess that'd work." Spike replied. Of course, he could just take whatever downtrodden minion Vlad was offering, keep him in check until the Transylvanian blunder left and dust him. Preferably before anyone knew he had one, seeing as how it wouldn't be good for his good guy image. He reached back and grabbed a drink as he considered his options. As long as Vlad didn't blab to anyone, particularly to Xander...

Spike choked on the burning liquor and was for an instant reminded of the time Dru put holy water in the tea. Damn Miss Edith and her ideas. Then he remembered why he was choking.

The grin on Vlad's face could only be described as shit eating.

"You aren't giving me sire's right to your son." Spike rasped, "Are you?" It wasn't as if he would put it past him.

"Well, I think it would be a perfect arrangement." Vlad exposited, "The boy really needs to learn how to hunt, and you need someone to hunt for you." The tone was perfectly reasonable, but there was no doubt that an insult had been slid in. "I'd still retain my rights as his father of course, but the duties and the benefits of a sire can be all yours."

While a minion would have been a quickly dusted inconvenience, this had merit. Wheels turned and Spike smirked.

"I take it that this sounds like a fair deal?" Vlad asked.

Spike turned to him, "What you're saying, is that Xander would be mine."

Vlad nodded.

"Mine to control?"

Another nod.

Willy chanced a peek over the counter top, just in time to see Spike's smirk grow to a wonderful grinchy like grin. He quickly reacquainted himself with the floor.

"You're telling me, that Xander would be mine to use in anyway I want." Spike practically purred.

Vlad nodded, "Of course, he'll need to be taught. That mother of his wouldn't let me raise him properly. For some reason, she seemed to think his human nature was more important than his vampiric one." His expression turned murderous for a moment, then cleared abruptly, "But he does have a connection to the slayer that you can exploit, which more than makes up for his inexperience.

Spike looked pensive. "Tell you what, I'll consider us even if you give me Xander and answer a question." 

"Do I get to know the question, first?" Vlad asked.

Spike shrugged, "Sure. All I want to know is how you had a son."

Vlad looked as if he was expecting that, but still found himself at a loss for words. He started to speak a couple of times, and changed his mind at the last moment. 

Spike watched him quietly. This would be a huge revelation. It would be something that would rock to the foundations all that had been held true about vampires.

Vlad finally gathered his thoughts. Much to Spike's surprise, he didn't look like he did when he usually started a long bout of boasting. In fact, he looked quite...sheepish.

"Well, Jessica was dating this demon," Vlad started, "and was with me at the same time. This was nothing new to anyone, except this one. He wasn't happy at all when he found out what number he was in the line of Jessica's suitors." He grimaced and rubbed the bridge of his nose before continuing, "D'Hoffran was surprisingly naive for the head vengeance demon. He did know his trade though." he sighed.

Spike's response was a sharp bark of laughter, which earned a withering glare from Vlad.

"So you're saying Xander was a curse?" Spike snorted. It did make a bit of sense when he thought about it. 

Vlad rolled his eyes, "Only when he's being stubborn. Actually, D'hoffran cursed Jessica. It seems he felt that having her get knocked up would end her philandering ways. Or something like that. She's the one who talked to him. When he found out just whom his little hex affected, he took off."

Spike chuckled then grew serious. Xander would be his. Logically, he knew that it could really work out. They could watch each other's backs, and he would have a place to stay. Unless, of course, Xander decided to drive a stake through his heart.

"Well, that was part one of the deal," Spike said. 

Vlad inclined his head, "Spike, he's yours now." A smirk tugged at his mouth, "Have fun."

Spike nodded thoughtfully then laughed, "You know the watchers have a whole book on rituals to transfer sire's rights."

Vlad snorted, "They never could tell the difference between reality and a ridiculous horror novel."

Meanwhile, Giles had relented enough to give Xander something at least helpful to keep him occupied during his bout of house arrest. There would be a gateway opening in the park in a couple of months, so Xander was handed a few large books and was told to make notes of the references found in them. 

As Xander marked off a passage defiantly in pink highlighter, he felt an odd twinge in the back of his mind. The twinge was in that part of himself that he pushed deep down, so he immediately knew there was no way in hell that it was a good thing.

"Are you cold?" Willow asked. She had been assigned butt monkey watch, and had caught the shudder that ran through him.

Xander smiled innocently, "No, just remembering the last time I met up with Dracula. You know, I think I got the best job this time. It's a shame I had to eat a few bugs to get it, but still, I'll take threat of a paper cut over being turned into someone's mindless slave." He chuckled to himself and was relieved that he got Willow to laugh along. When and if he got his insides to stop quaking he'd be good.


	6. A little favor and a warning

Sorry this one took so long. Stupid real world getting in the way. Hmph. Thanks so much for reading. And even more for the reviews. *happy sigh* 

As Spike walked through the deserted streets of Sunnydale, he muttered and cursed to himself. The alcohol was wearing off thanks to his preternatural metabolism and a lot of the ramifications of his actions were beginning to become clear. And they weren't pretty.

He stayed at the bar long enough to stash a bottle of scotch in his jacket. It was way too close to sunrise for comfort and he had no choice but to go to Buffy's for shelter. Various creatures have had occupied all his old hideout between her home and Willy and he was in no state to get into a fight.

A part of his mind roared in outrage at the thought. He used to see just how pissed he could get before his fighting skills were significantly impaired. And then he'd fight anyway. Of course that was back in the day when he could just kill some bloke and bask in the healing powers of happy meal on legs.

Not that he would do that now, if he could. Well, probably not. Maybe. He really wasn't sure what he was capable of anymore. How much of his reluctance to kill was from his soul and how much was simply conditioning from the chip was a question that buzzed in the back of his mind, taunting him. It was the same voice that told him Dru would never come back for him. The very same voice that said Buffy would never love him.

Stupid voice.

He made it to the house just as the sky was getting to be an uncomfortable gray color. Of course, this time the bloody door was locked. As soon as he knocked, though, the door flew open and he was dragged bodily into the house by a determined ex vengeance demon.

"Spike," Anya said, "I need for you to do me a favor. I don't have any money, but I'll sleep with you as payment."

Spike spent a moment blinking and was quite lucky that Anya had shut the door when she pulled him inside. Otherwise he would have had a nasty burn.

"I don't want to have sex with you." He growled. Hell, there was a good five minutes he wished he could forget, in fact.

"Oh, so you'll do it for free?" Anya chirped, "I like this new soul thing. It suits you. Makes you nobler." She winked conspiratorially, "I hear chicks dig that."

For a moment Spike wondered if the sunlight wouldn't be so bad after all. He drew in a deep breath and tried to speak calmly, "I never said a thing about helping you. Sod. Off." 

Anya deflated a bit and stared down at her feet. Spike felt the now inevitable twinge of conscience and sighed dramatically.

"All right, what was it you needed?" he asked dully.

Anya's head snapped back up and the frighteningly perky smile was firmly back in place, "I need you to watch after Xander for me. We're busy trying to find Dracula, and we can't keep him around here, without him figuring out what we're up to." she smirked slightly, "After all, I don't think a single person in the bunch knows our methods and patterns as well as he does, so it's better if we keep Xander from going back to his bug eating self and ratting us out."

Spike looked skeptical, "And how would I stop him if he was back under Dracula's thrall?" Spike growled low in his throat, "It's not like I can stand up to a human and under that kind of influence, the whelp could take me out without breaking a sweat. Hell, even without being under a thrall he still may."

A peculiar expression passed over Anya's face, but was gone before Spike could put a name to it. She looked at him imploringly and as Spike felt his resolve melt, he began to wonder if there was something to that dreaded noble condition she had spoke of earlier.

"Come on, Spike. I know you're more resourceful than you like to admit. It's not like I'm asking you to watch something dangerous. I mean, it's Xander for heaven's sake!"

Spike didn't know what to think. He knew that he'd be fine watching Xander. Well, maybe. There was still the very good chance of meeting the wrong end of a pointed stick in his future, but that was something he would have to face soon, anyway. 

"Fine. I'll watch the monkey boy, but you owe me a carton of smokes." 

Anya's grin went from perky to blinding. Sometimes he missed the sulking wannabe demon Anya. Her sudden clinging to mortality was disturbing. Possibly because it hit way too close to home.

"Great!" she chirped, "Xander's car is parked right out front and here's your tarp." she said, handed him a large piece of blue fabric and took off up the stairs.

Spike stared at the tarp in disgust. He had always believed that no good deed went unpunished. Was quite fond of enforcing it at one time. But somehow in Sunnydale it seemed to be even more potent.

"Bloody hell." he groaned, and headed for the kitchen, in hopes of at least getting a meal out of this ordeal. 

"You really are a curse, Harris," he muttered under his breath.

He made it to the kitchen without encountering any of the other Scoobies. He could hear them all in the den, plotting fairly loudly for people who were trying to keep a young man from discovering their plans. Not that it mattered, really. Spike knew Xander wouldn't betray them. There was just no way they could know that. Xander had to be miserable.

He rummaged through the produce drawer in the fridge set aside for whatever unpleasant things that needed to stay chilled. For one brief shining moment, fortune smiled on him as he found a lone bag of blood hidden under what was either a bag of worms or old Pot Noodles. Either way it was fairly revolting.

Eric crept into the kitchen as Spike waited for his blood to warm. The young man seemed to shrink into himself under the strength of his stare. Spike watched with a perverse sense of amusement as the other man made his way around the kitchen while trying to keep some piece of furniture between him and the vampire at all times.

"The rest of the gang filled you in, then?" Spike asked, in what he felt was a nice conversational tone.

Eric jumped and spilled a little of the tea he was pouring, cringing at the scalding liquid hitting his hand. Spike smirked. He bloody well was resourceful when he wanted to be.

In Eric's attempt to keep as far away from Spike as possible, he had unconsciously backed himself into a corner. Mug in hand, Spike easily made his way over to the young man, and blocked him in.

"So, Eric," Spike said, "I think there's a few things you haven't been sharing with the rest of the class." He leered slightly and took a healthy gulp of blood. The fact that it was in a cup with cartoon dancing pigs crawling all over it didn't seem to lessen the impact on the poor fellow.

Eric looked downright panicked, "I-I-I'm sure I don't know what you mean." he squeaked.

Spike leaned in closer, and spoke softly in to the now trembling man's ear, "Why haven't you told anyone about Xander?"

Tea splashed down on Spike's boots, from the shaken teacup. Eric swallowed nervously and it was plain to see that several thoughts were crashing together in that brain.

Spike cocked his head and took another sip.

"I didn't want anyone else involved," Eric muttered. 

"And?" Spike prodded.

"And I hadn't intended on running into the Slayer my first night on the hunt." he answered. His voice and nerves had evened out, somewhat. "After that monster killed my entire family, I couldn't leave him alive to continue his terror. And I can't stand the thought of someone else getting to him before I have the chance."

Once again, there was that steely, driven look to the man and Spike was fairly impressed.

"So," Spike said, "You've been leading everyone on a while goose chase, and then what?"

Eric glared at him defiantly. If it weren't for the damned chip, the human's head would have been intimately acquainted the hard tile floor a few times. 

Spike smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile, and Eric grew tense. "You pretend to be helpless and ineffectual, right? You want them to leave you behind to stay safe while they go running off in the wrong direction and you run off to lie in wait for Dracula to show up." The smile turned into a look of pure malice, "or you don't even wait for him to show up, do you?"

Spike leaned in right in his face, "You want revenge, don't you." 

Eric's face became completely blank. "He killed my family." he said, calmly.

"And you think you'll destroy his." Spike spat. 

"Well, it's only fair." Eric replied. He looked like he was going to say more but the absolute fury that burned in Spike's eyes shut him up quick fast and in a hurry.

"Xander is mine. I don't care what you do to Dracula, stake him, torture him, hell, take him out dancing if you want to, but if you touch the boy..." Spike trailed off into a wonderfully wicked smile.

"B-but, you have a chip!" Eric retorted weakly.

"Oh this silly little piece of machinery in my head? You realize that it doesn't keep me from killing. It just makes it hurt." A low almost sensual chuckle tickled Eric's face, "Sometimes it's better with a little pain."

Spike abruptly straightened and walked away from the young man. Eric was quite pale and more than a little shaken up. 

As Spike walked out of the kitchen, he turned and said, "You know, you would make a fair vampire, I think."

The young man's eyes widened, "Really?"

"That way, I could really introduce you to the concepts of pain." Spike seemed to think it over, "Yes, I think that would be the way to go." 

He set his mug down on the counter and walked back to the hall, leaving a quite spooked young man.


	7. Hate to break it to him

Hey look! Another chapter that didn't take two weeks. Heh. 

After about another hour of some uncomfortable research under the suspicious gaze of his best friend, Xander was about ready to scream. It didn't help that he had a horrible nagging feeling in the back of his mind that wouldn't let him be. It was if something was calling out to him, and he wanted with every cell in his body to answer. And somehow he didn't think it was an invite to the Playboy mansion.

"Xander, are you sure that you're okay?" Willow asked for what had to be the fifth time. It was obvious he was preoccupied, and he knew she was kicking herself for not paying enough attention last time Dracula was around. Then she could know which symptoms to look for.

No one did, so every move he made was under suspicion.

"Yes, mom." He said. He put the book to the side, and sank down into the chair. The heavy sigh made Willow smile.

"Don't worry, Xander, we'll have this all cleared up in no time. Then you'll be back in action. And hey! You have all this extra time to come up with new and improved sarcastic remarks." she said brightly. 

It wasn't completely convincing. He wasn't sure how Willow got babysitting duty, but it probably had something to do with straws. She was about as happy about being locked up in Dawn's room as he was.

The overly relieved looks on both of their faces had to be comical to behold when they heard a tap on the door.

Anya walked in, and looked fairly edgy. When she looked at Xander, that little feeling got a bit bigger.

"Xander, you can go home now. Spike's waiting for you down stairs." She said, and promptly turned around and left.

Xander looked at Willow, just a bit bewildered. Willow smiled and shrugged.

"I guess we've been released." she said.

"Speak for yourself," Xander replied, rolling his eyes, "I still have to have a sitter."

Willow gave him a sympathetic look and a comforting squeeze on the shoulder before herding him downstairs.

With every step, Xander's sense of foreboding grew. His stomach tied itself into several knots and he mentally kicked himself for acting like a nervous girl ready for prom. Well, only if said girl's prom date was one of the walking dead and said girl was being watched to keep from going completely insane again.

And even then, he had to admit to himself that he was way over simplifying things. But denial was his anti drug. Along with a healthy dose of repression.

The front hallway was empty except for a large man shaped blue tarp. Who knew tarps could sulk? 

"Be good, Xander," Willow said, just a little too chipper, but still worth hearing, before she headed in to join the rest of the gang. Leaving Xander with a man getting ready to do a human torch impersonation. It was an odd feeling. Or maybe it wasn't. Xander felt something, the same something that twisted in his head had spread through his veins.

It wasn't unpleasant, but it still felt unnatural. His hands were shaking as he fumbled in his pockets for his keys. 

"So..." he said, and promptly forgot what he was going to say.

Spike was looking at him. 

All that Xander had spent many years successfully repressing was growing inside of him, pushing under his skin. Something in him felt like it was straining to go to the other man. 

Spike suddenly wasn't just Spike anymore. Xander shook his head and backed up a couple of steps.

"What the fu..." Xander started to say, but found a cool hand clamped over his mouth. Spike looked at him sternly and Xander wanted to cringe away from him and at the same time offer up his throat.

If Xander's eyes widened to comical proportions, they didn't amuse Spike. He kept his hand over Xander's mouth and hissed in his ear, "Not now. When we get to your place, I'll explain everything." Spike cast a quick worried look in the direction of the den, before continuing, "Now is not the place for this."

Xander nodded, still wide-eyed and a little bit zoned out. Spike removed his hand, carefully, ready to return it over the young man's lips in a moments notice. 

"I'm going to have to ride in your trunk, so I think it'd be best if you went and opened it before I make a mad dash out in the sunlight, don't you think?" Spike asked. 

Xander nodded again, absently and went to go do it. He also opened the door just a little too wide, and even he wasn't sure if he had done it on purpose or not. Either way, Xander felt a small measure of satisfaction from the vampire's pained growl.

He opened the trunk and stood by as a smoking blue tarp hurtled by him and leapt inside. It should have been funny, but for once, he couldn't think of how.

Once Spike was safely hidden away from the sun, Xander got into his car and drove home. He tried really hard not to think. He really didn't want to think. He shouldn't have to. After all, it wasn't like it was something he was known for.

"No no no no..." he had a steady chant going for the past couple of miles. It wasn't possible. He wouldn't let it be.

Luckily, it was still early enough that there wasn't much traffic. He was in no fit state to drive really. He was no where near being in between the lines at his parking spot, but couldn't quite get himself too worked up over it.

No shade in the parking lot, which had actually been something he looked for when he found the place. He was also safely away from any of Sunnydale's many underground tunnels. It was nice not needing Willow to get a hold on city plans.

He opened the trunk and held the door open for Spike to enter his building. He waited until he got to his apartment, locked the door behind him and advanced on the oddly guilty looking vampire.

"What the hell did you do, Spike" he asked in a low growl.

Spike smiled slightly, with an apology all but inscribed on his face, "I had an interesting chat with your Daddy." he said.

Xander sighed, "Well, it's not very surprising that he's done something, but what did you do?"

"Well, Vlad owed me quite a bit, so we came to an agreement. He didn't have the dosh, so I got something else instead."

"Oh god." Xander groaned and sat down on the coffee table. He buried his head in his hands. Spike was about to prod him, see if he was still there, when Xander spoke, "My father gave me to you?"

There was something very heavy and important sounding in that sentence that Xander didn't put there.

Spike stared down at the floor, "He gave me all rights as your new Sire."

All that was demon in Xander roared in satisfaction. Physically, all Spike saw was Xander shudder, but inside Xander was fighting himself.

After a couple of minutes past and Xander still hadn't said anything, just sat there shaking, Spike started to get worried. He'd never admit it in a hundred years or so, but he jumped when Xander abruptly stood up and glared at him.

"I hope you aren't expecting me to call you Daddy." he said, and started pacing, "It's more than enough having two fathers and an extra father figure."

Spike stood where he was while Xander paced furiously back and forth in the living room. He hadn't been staked yet, so that was a good thing, but he wasn't eager to do anything to remind Xander that he was highly combustible and defenseless, so he remained quiet and just watched.

Xander grumbled under his breath, "Bastard, thinks he can control my life, can't keep his little rituals to himself, treat me like a piece of property." Every so often, his muttering was punctuated by a not so human sounding snarl. He stripped off the turtleneck as he paced, and chucked it The t-shirt underneath did nothing to hide the nasty finger shaped bruises on his neck, but that god awful turtleneck rubbed.

A few minutes later Xander finally calmed down somewhat and sat down on the couch next to Spike.

Both men sat there, not speaking, with their feet up on the coffee table. Xander stared at Spike, who in turn stared at the dried blood trail on the wall.

"So you're my Sire." Xander said. He also focused on the gory stain on his wall. It was going to be a bitch getting his deposit back. "Now what?"

Spike shrugged, "I dunno. I guess, we just don't think about it too much, and just go on as we were."

"Will that work?" Xander asked. He was sounding a little shaky again. Of course, he hadn't had any sleep since yesterday morning. And what with anticipating his father's arrival, hadn't been very restful.

Spike kind of slumped a little in his seat, "No. Prolly not." he said.

"Yeah, thought so." Xander added. He got up and headed for his room and hopefully a few hours of completely oblivious sleep. He turned just before going through the door and met Spike's gaze.

"There's blood in the fridge, if you're hungry." he said and gestured toward his room, "I have to get some sleep, so..." he trailed off. At a loss for words once again, he wondered if there were some higher powers that just collected on a wager or something. His life couldn't be this random.

Spike nodded, "Ta mate." he looked pensive for a moment then asked, "When was the last time you fed?"

Xander froze up. This wans't a fair question. Not now. He found himself answering anyway, "Well, not counting a slight hyena possession induced pig slaughter," he took a breath, "I haven't," he cringed, "fed, since I was thirteen."

From the look on Spike's face, he clearly wasn't expecting that. Spike's blatant disbelief spurred Xander's admission on more than he cared for.

"That's when I found out that there was no beating my father. But that didn't mean I had to join him."

Spike tried to think of something to say to that, but before he could even get his brain going again "Thirteen!" he thought, Xander had already gone into his room, and was followed by the sound of the door being locked.

Spike rubbed his forehead and made a face.

"What the bleeding hell have I gotten myself into?" he groaned to himself.

He turned on the television only to be confronted by channel after channel of static. He blinked.

"Of course. Cable's out." he said, disgusted. 

He was tempted to believe in the whole higher power thing. Someone had to be pointing and laughing at him right now. Hell, he was better than cable, he'd wager.


	8. Something to discuss?

Hmm. It's normal to pause while writing in mid sentence to cackle evilly, right? Hee hee. Thanks to everyone who's reading this and uber thanks to all of you reviewers. I can't believe I have over fifty reviews for this! I was expecting maybe three! Wow.

Spike eventually gave up on the telly and settled into his closet for a little shuteye. He attempted to ignore what sounded frighteningly like Patsy Cline coming from Xander's bedroom. At least he was attempting to keep it down, but sometimes having vampire hearing could be a disadvantage. Before dozing, he looked around disgustedly and his last thought was, "We're definitely going to have a Sire to Childe talk with Xander about the living arrangements, here."

He wasn't sure how long he slept when he heard sounds of life coming from the kitchen. He walked in and saw Xander clumsily making coffee, then slumping into a kitchen chair to stare at the maker until it was done.

Inwardly, Spike was snickering. The boy looked like he was watching his prey and getting ready to pounce. He mentally kicked himself for missing this little red flag, seeing as how he'd been on hand to observe this little ritual several times.

He took a seat across from Xander, who merely grunted to acknowledge Spike's presence without tearing his eyes away from the chipperly perking pot. It suited Spike fine, since he wasn't in any hurry to experience cranky morning Xander.

Spike eyed the bruises on Xander's neck. He'd caught a glimpse of them before Xander went to bed, and had pondered them briefly. It wasn't exactly a mystery about where they came from, but they worried him, anyway. Dracula should know better than to toss the boy around like a vampire if the boy wasn't going to heal like one.

Which brought him to the first part of his agenda. How would he get Xander to feed and get his strength back up? It was painfully obvious that Xander wouldn't give up attempting to help keep the world safe from the forces of evil, but it wasn't going to do the lad any good if he got himself offed in the process.

Xander fairly pounced as soon as a cup's worth of coffee was ready. The look of utter bliss was enough to get a genuine smile from Spike. 

"So," Spike said, finally safe to start a conversation that wouldn't be half filled with unintelligible grunts, "Why haven't you tried to stake me?"

He wasn't quite sure where Xander's mind was at that particular moment, because the young man choked on a mouthful of coffee. After a fair amount of gagging and sputtering, Xander answered simply, "Was too tired."

"Right," Spike said skeptically. "And the reason you haven't tried to kill me this morning?"

Xander shot a deadpan look at him, "Not enough caffeine yet."

Spike conceded that point. It would take another cup at least to get him to speak in complete sentences. 

Spike got up to warm a cup of blood. Xander looked startled when he saw Spike reaching for the coffee mugs.

"Hey, stay away from my coffee!" he practically snarled.

Spike tilted his head and smirked, "You know, as your new sire, I'm actually entitled to the lion's share of whatever you drink."

Xander glowered, "Oh yeah, and how to do you think you're going to enforce that, Mr. Bark's worse than his bite?"

Spike grinned. It was a very Spike like grin. And it got bigger when Spike saw Xander's eyes widen.

"Personally, I've always thought that the best way to keep a Childe on his best behavior is through a good stern spanking." Spike shot back, and reveled in the instant blush that covered Xander's face. He reached into the refrigerator and snagged a bag of blood. In the time it took to warm up, Xander had composed himself, somewhat.

"Luckily for me, that nice friendly chip should spare me from your kinks, Spike." 

Spike rolled his eyes and headed for his chair. As he passed Xander, he reached out nonchalantly and swatted the young man on the back of the head, before sitting and smugly enjoying his breakfast.

There hadn't been the slightest twinge. Not a peep out of that damned chip had been felt, and it only took Xander a moment to realize that.

Xander leapt up in alarm, knocking over and stumbling on his chair in the process. "What the fuck?"

Spike rolled his eyes, "Sit down, Xander," he said in his compelling tone. He tried not to look too smug when Xander promptly righted his chair and sat back down. The young man was quite a bit freaked out.

"How did you..." Xander started. He stopped, blinked down at his coffee cup a couple of times before speaking again, "Please tell me you got the chip out."

In the space of a heartbeat that didn't exist, the smug grin disappeared off of Spike's face. Xander's face was almost green, and his hands shook slightly.

Perhaps that wasn't the best move on Spike's part. In a flash the vampire was up and kneeling right in front of Xander

"Fucking hell, whelp, breathe!" Spike said, and tried not to shout at the freaked young man. Xander steadfastly refused to meet his gaze. When Spike reached out to try to shake him, Xander neatly spun out of his grip and was across the room in a blink of the eye. Spike was stunned as he watched Xander pace like a caged animal.

It was clear though that the apartment wasn't the lad's cage. Neither was Spike's presence. Xander was firmly entrenched in his own mind, grumbling to himself and trembling.

Spike stared in shock. He'd never seen the lad so out of control before. As much as he'd assumed weakness on Xander's part, he'd been mildly jealous of the way the boy held himself together no matter how much his life was going to hell. After he left Anya, after Willow lost her mind, hell, even after they looked on the broken and bloody body of the slayer, Xander had been stoic and untouchable.

So what the bleeding hell was wrong with him now?

"Xander..."Spike said and reached out to try to grab his arm as he passed.

Once again, Xander easily evaded the vampire's grasp. Spike mentally smacked himself on the forehead for forgetting that Xander was capable of more than he seemed. Not that he was any challenge for the master vampire.

On Xander's next pass, Spike had Xander pinned against the fridge before the boy knew what hit him.

"Ow," Xander said as his head hit a protruding magnet. Thankfully his eyes focused on the vampire in front of him and he seemed to gain a bit of mental stability. A very good thing for Spike who wasn't up to explaining to the slayer how he broke her friend.

His face scant inches from Xander's own, Spike asked the young man in a frighteningly calm and collected tone, "So what seems to be the problem, mate?"

For a moment Xander looked at him like he had lost his mind. And considering that only moments ago the whelp was a gibbering mess, that wasn't something to be taken lightly.

"You mean aside from the fact that in less than twenty-four hours my life has gone straight to hell?" Xander responded in a 'let's not upset the crazy person' manner.

Spike barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, "Yes aside from all that. It was just a little swat to the back of the head. Why make so much of it?"

For a moment Xander's eyes got that broken look in them again, but that look soon hardened into a nasty glare.

"You couldn't let me have one last little thing." Xander bit out.

Spike was confused. He was about to ask for further clarification, though not in those exact words, when he was aware of Xander's arm moving.

He just barely jumped out of the way in time to avoid the sharp piece of wood that was aimed at his chest. Xander looked positively murderous as he stalked forward after Spike.

Spike rapidly backed up, attempting to stay out of staking range and to pacify the very angry young man.

"Well, I see the caffeine's kicked in." he quipped, and dodged another strike from the snarling Scooby. "You wanna tell me what this is all about?"

Xander snorted, "No," he said simply and struck at the vampire again. This time, Spike had quickly grown tired of the crazy lad's attempt to ventilate him, and snatched the stake out of Xander's hand. The sudden loss of his weapon left Xander momentarily stunned, which was just long enough for Spike to grab hold of him.

"I think it's time we had a nice little Sire to Childe chat, don't you think?" Spike asked and he held the struggling young man in a headlock.

Xander tried to no avail to free himself from Spike's grip. After a fair bit of struggling and cursing, the young man stilled and sighed deeply.

"Fine." Xander said, dully, "We'll talk."

Spike carefully released him and guided him to the living room and onto the sofa. Xander sat beside him, and stared down at the floor. How someone who was taller and wider than him could look so small when he wanted to was a mystery to Spike.

He reached out and tilted Xander's face up to meet his eyes. He looked miserable and defeated, two things that in Spike's opinion really didn't belong on the young man's face.

Spike couldn't understand what was going on in that head. He couldn't see why Xander was so upset about a simple swat to the head that didn't send the vampire in bloody convulsions...oh. Then Spike got it.

Xander could repress and deny with the best of them. As long as he had his illusions, the boy could go about his merry way. 

"It finally registered, didn't it?" Spike inquired softly.

Xander winced and nodded. "Yeah." he answered. A minor mental battle took place just beyond those big hazel eyes before he continued, "There was plenty I could accept. I mean, so my dad's the prince of darkness. It's not like my other dad's a whole lot better. And the whole..." he swallowed hard and gathered his courage, "needing blood thing, well, I just pretend it's not there."

Xander faltered in his admission after that, so Spike picked up on the thought, "But the chip is proof positive that you aren't just a human."

Xander nodded shakily. 

Spike pondered for a moment before speaking, "But you're still half-human. Hell, you're one up on me there."

"No I'm not." Xander replied, "You have a soul. An entire soul. You're more like a person possessed by a demon. Me, I'm half demon. I didn't just have someone come along and stick a demon in me. I am one."

Angel was going to be a pile of dust the next time he saw him, Spike decided.

"Listen to me," he said to Xander, "When a person is turned, they are changed. This whole soul goes out, demon goes in nonsense is a complete load of bollocks. Turning makes us become demons. Now I can't say for sure what happens to the soul then, but I'm not so sure it goes anywhere."

Xander looked confounded, "How can you say that, after you went and got your soul back?"

Spike sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He new he looked like the watcher when he did it, which was confirmed by a half hearted snicker from Xander, but he didn't care,

"First off, forget everything that Angel ever said on the subject. That overgrown gelled boy scout likes to make everything as absolutely over dramatic and tragic as inhumanly possible. He's been trying to make it seem as though Angel and Angelus are two different people, that the soul and the demon are two separate entities battling over who gets to run the place."

"So what it's like?" Xander prodded.

Spike smiled at him weakly, "Probably exactly like what you feel only to a greater degree. You don't have a little evil voice in your head telling you to do bad things, do you?"

Xander shook his head, "Nope, not since high school."

Spike smirked at that. From what he'd seen of the boy's tendency to find and be found by trouble, there was no telling what that could mean.

"It's just a matter of a person's moral compass. When you're a demon, what do you care if a human dies? They're not like you, and they taste pretty damn good. It's the soul that's out of place. Your body, your instincts, your thoughts are all demon. But suddenly your heart is something else entirely. All the sudden there's that little bit of humanity there, that little bit that connects you to those who should just be your food."

Xander looked thoughtful, "I guess that makes sense. Though in my case, you'd think I'd have more trouble dusting vampires."

It was a good point, but Spike knew why that was, "Why haven't you dusted your father?" he asked.

The young man froze up. It wasn't a question that he had a ready answer for obviously. Spike was fairly sure that he had spent a lot of time not answering that question.

"I should. I mean, I tried years ago, well, sort of tried." Xander answered slowly. "I mean, he kills and gets off on terrorizing and torturing people, and he tried to turn my friends just to get to me..."

Spike drew Xander close to him and stroked the young man's hair, "Those are good reasons to kill him, but you didn't give a reason why you shouldn't." He felt Xander tremble in his arms and relented, "Aw, hell, pet. Don't' beat yourself up over it. I mean, it's not like I've put a stake through Angel, now is it?" 

He felt a stab of pity for the young man. The bond between a Sire and Childe was enormous, but add on to that the fact that Xander's "sire" was also the boy's father...well, he couldn't imagine the courage and willpower it took a thirteen year old boy to try to slay Vlad.

He felt a low rumbling against his chest and looked down in surprise. It seemed he had unconsciously started purring soothingly to his new Childe, and amazingly enough, Xander had responded in kind, though he doubted he knew what he was doing.

Xander was a very tactile person, and given that vampires were pack creatures it wasn't very surprising. He saw how the young man's friends had distanced themselves from him over the past couple of years, so maybe it wasn't so much of a surprise to find Xander snuggled up in his arms. It wasn't much of a surprise how much he liked having the whelp there, either. He was a pack animal himself, after all.


	9. Yet more talking

Sorry for the delay, everybody. The explanation is in the reviews. Thanks for reading!

Xander was impressed with himself by how well he was handling things. Sure there was the freak out and the attempted staking of his...sire. And the whole snuggling and purring thing in Spike's arms, well, why not? It was a vampire thing, and he had the feeling that Spike wasn't going to let him pretend as much as he was used to. So he might as well try to get a head start on not panicking.

Okay, so maybe he should have started earlier.

Still, things could work out in the end. If Willow could be psycho chick one day and cuddly friend Willow the next, and Buffy could come back from the dead, and Giles could actually be cool, then there was still hope for him, yet. Right?

After he calmed down somewhat, Spike had untangled himself from Xander's arms. Xander wasn't sure at what point he had started clinging to the vampire, but the slight ache in his arms as Spike unwound them from his waist made him think he'd been doing it for a while. Spike didn't say anything, though. He just got up and went in to the kitchen.

Xander had to smile at the indignant snort of disgust and irate grumbling when the vampire found his blood to be room temperature and more than a little curdled.

Easing back into the couch cushions, Xander was content to give himself a break from thinking. He was content for the time being to listen to the other man rattle around in his kitchen.

Spike handed him a mug of coffee and sat beside him sipping heated blood. The vampire propped his feet on the coffee table and switched on the television like nothing at all had happened.

Xander was immediately suspicious. Spike did not do casual. Casualties, sure, but never casual. He warily took a sip of his re heated coffee and understood the evil vampire's cunning plan. Very subtle, he had to admit.

Xander sighed heavily before confronting the other man, "You reheated my coffee with your blood." he stated.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Sorry, your majesty," he retorted, "Feel free to fix your own damned coffee next emotional breakdown."

In spite of himself, he snickered at the snarky vampire. One thing he had to appreciate about Spike, the man didn't walk around on eggshells around him. It was refreshing after spending so much time around extremely volatile women who tended to forget he wasn't one of them. "Fine, fine, I'll drink your tainted coffee." he griped. It was just for show however. The slight tantalizing taste of blood in his coffee was intoxicating. It took all of his willpower to keep from chugging the too hot liquid outright.

Her could feel Spike's stare on him as he drank. He couldn't keep himself from licking his lips after every sip.

"So," he addressed the fixated vampire, "Just how much blood did you sneak into my coffee?" Damn sneaky vampires. 

"Just enough to suit my evil purposes." Spike replied cheerily.

Xander attempted to raise and eyebrow, but as usual didn't quite manage, "I think we made need to take you in for a soul check up. I can't be getting back into the blood habit. It's hard enough to avoid it as it is."

Spike snorted, "Of course you can't drink it," he said sarcastically, "That's why you're more than half finished with it."

"No I'm not." Xander protested. Then he looked down at his mostly empty mug. "Oh."

Spike merely smirked at him and finished off his breakfast. He got up to take his mug in and shot Xander a wicked smile, "Want some more?" he asked, in a frighteningly innocent tone.

"No."

"Liar." Spike replied.

"Oh, bite me, Soul boy." Xander snarked back and drained the last of his enriched coffee.

He missed the look on Spike's face and was unprepared when the other man said, "Oh, you'll have to do something very...interesting to earn that privilege."

Xander also missed the triumphant expression on Spike's face as the younger man snorted still hot coffee through his nose. He could practically feel the vampire's smug expression in the other room, however.

When Spike emerged from the kitchen, he found Xander working away at his computer going over some building permits and paperwork. Xander smiled and shrugged at Spike's slight hesitation.

"Gotta keep my mind off of thing," he said. "And keeping my job doesn't hurt either."

Spike gave an answering shrug and laid down on the couch. Xander worked and Spike snoozed in companionable silence for a couple of hours. Xander worked a little in that time, mainly caught up in his own head. The soft snores from the couch , computer keys tapping, and mouse clicks were somehow soothing.

He couldn't help but wonder if Spike was snoring on purpose. He'd never heard the other man do it before, but then again, until this day he had never realized that either one of them could purr.

All in all it had been a very educational couple of days so far. He shuddered to think of what he'd learn next. Hopefully he wouldn't develop his Sire's love for Passions.

After the third time he corrected the same mistake, he decided to call it a day on the paper work. He got up and stretched and looked around. The bloodstain was staring back at him accusingly. With a sigh, he went to the kitchen to get some cleaning supplies. It wouldn't be fun having to explain it to Willow or Buffy after all.

Spike had left his mug sitting in the sink without rinsing it.. Xander glared at it and quickly ran it full of hot water and soap. He'd been tempted far too many times. He had to hand it to his father, though. He hadn't seen this coming. He certainly hadn't expected what it was doing to him.

He tore his gaze off of the mug and gathered his weapons against the evil stain. Spike was doing his carefully constructed method of repression and denial no favors. Now if he could just clean the wall without having a freaky urge to lick it, he'd be doing okay.

The smear was mostly gone, just a pinkish tint on the white walls, when he felt eyes on his back. He smiled as he felt the other man's stare as if Spike had actually trailed a hand down his back. Interesting. Maybe Spike wouldn't be so prone to sneak up on him if he could feel him around.

Of course, he'd have to pretend to still be freaked around everyone else. 

"Why don't you just tell them about it and have it done with?"

Xander jumped slightly. Okay, so Spike could obviously still spook him. For one heart stopping moment, he wondered if the vampire could read his mind, but quickly pushed that thought aside as silly. If that were true, then Angelus wouldn't have had so much trouble with Spike, right?

He sighed, "I thought you'd figure it out. I mean, look at Willow."

Spike just tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.

Xander didn't even fight the desire to roll his eyes, "She's gone completely insane before and everyone knows that she can't be trusted around magic, but what do we do when we can't figure something out?"

"Make her cast a spell," Spike answered. "And you know if they knew you were half vampire, they'd have you stalking and hunting, no matter how you feel about the matter."

Xander smiled sadly, "Hell, they wouldn't even have to ask me. The fear of letting them down or making them ashamed of me would be enough to convince me." He swallowed and continued, "It'd start out all right enough, they'd be ticked that I'd lied to them for so long, they'd probably be a little relieved that they don't have to coddle me as much as they do...and that's what would make them let their guard down."

Spike smirked, "Now that's a dirty trick, making the girls be careful by making them feel responsible for you. I'm impressed."

"Yeah, well, that's not all of it." Xander ran a hand through his hair irritably, "How long do you think it will take before they start questioning why I haven't helped them out before? Or why I don't feed so I can get stronger and do more for them? Or they'll ask if I've ever wanted to...if I ever wondered...what they tasted like?" 

Xander stared at the carpet, not wanting to see whatever expression currently on Spike's face. Too much honesty, there. Inside he was screaming at the uncomfortable atmosphere of the room, telling him to make a joke, draw attention from what he had just revealed, but his mind was a little too occupied with, what was that emotion, again? Oh yeah, guilt. 

He, Spike and Angel should start a support group. Though hair gel might be a requirement, and he just wasn't going there.

Ah, there's that zany madcap humor he knows so well.

Spike moved up next to him and put his arms around him. Xander shrugged out of the embrace and walked a few paces away. 

"I don't need your pity, Spike." he gritted out.

Spike rolled his eyes and snorted, "Good thing, that. Otherwise you'd do without. I'm not offering you pity you daft twit."

"Uh huh," Xander said skeptically, "And what do you call what you just did?"

Spike shrugged and looked slightly ill at ease, "Dunno. Compassion, maybe. Sympathy, comfort, maybe even just because I felt like it, is all. 

Apparently pacing was contagious, because now it was Spike's turn to walk back and forth in an almost hypnotic manner. Xander watched him go, trying to come up with a reply, or a question. Or something at all that would get the vampire to...well, he wasn't sure, but get him to do something.

"Having a problem, Spike?"

He got a snarl back for his answer. Eyebrows raised, Xander took a couple more steps back from the other man. Apparently it was Spike's turn to have a freak out, and Xander wasn't taking any chances that Spike may have taken that whole trying to stake him thing personally.

What would a Childe do in this situation? Xander wondered if he should purr at him, but he wasn't sure if it would be appropriate or even how he did it in the first place. Damn instinctive responses, why couldn't there be some kind of handbook? He sighed. He'd scoured Giles's book collection at his first opportunity, but really hadn't expected to find anything.

Spike threw himself dramatically into the armchair. "It's not like they make a bloody instruction manual for this." he growled to himself.

"What?" Xander squeaked. Just because purring wasn't in the books didn't mean telepathy was still a possibility. Right?

Spike looked startled as well. Apparently he hadn't even realized he had spoken out loud. He looked at Xander and grinned sheepishly, "I haven't had a whole lot of experience being a Sire, you know. With Dru, well, she was everything to me, so I didn't need a Childe of my own." he smirked coldly, "Not that she's have let me have one even if I wanted one." he shook his head, "I know how it feels from the Childe's perspective, but as a Sire..."

"We could ask Angel." Xander said.

Spike looked at him like he'd lost his mind. 

Xander rolled his eyes, "I don't mean telling him about us, I just mean, um, asking in passing, you know, out of curiosity."

"And you think he'll buy that story and just tell you whatever you want?" Spike asked with a smug expression. 

"Oh, right." Xander said. "What about my father?"

"What about him?" 

"Well, he's sired Childer before..." he started and then remembered just what his stepmother's were like and grimaced. "Never mind, stupid question. I don't want him to give you advice on how to make me one of your simpering fawning brides." The comical shudder managed to drag a chuckle out of Spike.

"I dunno, whelp, that idea could have merit."

He got a dull glare in return. 

The knock at the door made Xander start. For one terrifying moment, he glanced around his apartment sure that there was some incriminating piece of evidence that would give away his secret and expose the events of the past night. Of course there wasn't any. The wall was mostly clean, and he hadn't sprouted fangs at any point...he quickly checked and nodded to himself, so everything would be fine.

By the time he had gotten himself together, Spike had already opened the door and let Willow into the apartment.

Before he could even utter a single hello, he found himself being herded by the determined young woman into his bedroom.

"Sorry Xander, but we need to ask Spike some questions and we couldn't do it over the phone, so we'll need some privacy. You don't mind, do you?"

"Actually, I do. I mean it's bad enough that you've put me under house arrest." Xander snapped, "And I'm not even allowed to go to work, but now you're coming in here and sending me to my room like a naughty child?"

Willow paused, taken aback, "Sorry Xander, but you know it's for a good reason." she gave him her best puppy dog look, the one he'd taught her when they were six.

He sighed in defeat. "Fine, but just be quick. Or at least let me bring the television in here."

Willow looked at him, really looked and immediately looked kind of ashamed.

"I'm sorry Xander. We haven't been treating you very well, have we?"

Xander shrugged, "I understand why you're keeping me out of the loop, but you guys have been kind of...penal code about it. I mean, I have a job and there are no groceries in the house, and well," gestures out the door, "there's Spike." he smiled weakly, "I'm used to having to put myself on hold for you and Buffy, but sometimes just an acknowledgement that I'm not just a tool you guys use to fix stuff and drive Dawn around would be appreciated."

He then found himself in a firm Willow hug and sighed. They stood there for a minute and with final squeeze, Willow let him go and took a step back to look up into his face.

"It's more than that bothering you, isn't it?" she asked, looking far too perceptive for comfort. Minus one notable secret, she knew him better than anyone in the world after all, and was more than familiar with the inner workings of the greater Californian Xander.

Xander threw back a patented puppy dog look of his own and answered the best he could, "I kind of have a lot on my mind right now." He grimaced, "ignore me. I think after years of over exposure to all your talk about tampons and menstrual cycles, I've finally developed PMS." he sighed dramatically and smiled goofily to his friend.

Willow gave him a mock punch on the arm and a flash of her resolve face. "I will not ignore you, mister." her expression softened almost instantly, "You know you can talk to me about anything, don't you?"

Xander brutally forced down the guilt that seemed to be jumping up and down in his skull wearing golf shoes. He quickly reran the mental list of why he kept his secret and smiled reassuringly at her, "I know Wills. You know me, just trying to keep up my macho and mysterious facade."

Willow laughed, "Well cut it out. That only works on souled vampires and soap opera characters. And even with the soap opera characters, it's hit or miss."

He laughed along and rolled his eyes, "You know, I'm not sure that you're the foremost authority on manly behavior here, Wills."

She smirked, "Yeah, but I still know how to get the chicks."

"Yeah, whatever," he said and steered her towards the door, "go save the world or something. I think I'll be fine without the television, now that I'm armed with nice mental pictures." The corresponding eyebrow waggling earned him another playful slug on the arm as he pushed her out the door.

He was about to close it, when an unfamiliar voice came from inside the living room. 

"Wills, who's that?" he asked. It didn't sound like anyone he knew, but whoever it was sounded male. He couldn't make out what was being said, but it was clear he was having a fairly intense conversation with Spike.

Willow looked like she was about to answer, but caught herself at the last minute, "Uh uh, buster. Back to your room"

Xander looked uneasy but did what she said. He wasn't thrilled with them bringing strangers into his home. This was his safe place. Well, as safe as anything got in Sunnydale, anyway.

He shut the door and sat on his bed. "Well," he thought to himself, "at least I have some time to brood without anyone catching me."

After less than a minute of serious brooding and angsting, he was stretched out and reading Deadpool comics and trying very hard not to go put a cup against the wall.


	10. A brief hint of plot and then

Okay, I'm changing the ending. I don't know where it came from either. Boredom, I suppose. This is my first fic, so I reserve the right to mess up and go back and I'll probably do it a couple more times before it's done. Thanks so much for sticking with the story, for the reviews and the honest feedback. I need all the help I can get, heh. Though Jade Stone and Azure K Mello are still kinda starting to scare me. Eep.

The knock at the door sounded like a choir of angels to Spike. It was the sound of salvation, sparing him from any more blurting of painful memories and feelings to Xander Harris. It was bad enough that he all but licked the heels of the Slayer, exposing his soul to her and leaving his heart out where she could stomp it at her leisure, but to go and moan about his issues to the young man...

He shook his head irritably. 

As soon as he opened the door, Hurricane Red flew by him and all but threw Xander into his room. He caught a brief glance of wide, surprised eyes before they disappeared around the corner.

In his state, it took him an embarrassingly long time to realize he wasn't alone in the room. Eric hovered in the doorway looking ready to flee on a moment's notice. Spike narrowed his eyes and the young man took a step back.

"I thought we had an agreement. You don't come here and I don't kill you." He said menacingly.

Eric gulped audibly, "Yes, I got that, but Willow wanted to bring me along and I couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse to, well, not. She's a very determined young woman."

"Yes, but you're a very good liar." Spike responded, "You were given an opportunity to stake the place out, pun intended, guilt free and you took it."

The young man turned an almost alarming shade of red, "Vampires can't read minds, can they? I mean, I've never read anything about it..."

Spike smirked, "No, but I happen to have a talent for reading people, and you, well, you're about as easy as the old Dick and Janes." He started to circle the young man, in lazy shark like arcs. Eric looked extremely nervous at treatment and Spike had to suppress the evil chuckle that was just dying to escape.

Much like Eric. The obvious relief on his face when Willow came back into the room did make Spike laugh, and the dark warning glare he got from the witch didn't faze him.

Willow collected the bag she had tossed on the floor before sweeping Xander away and began spreading maps of Sunnydale around on the coffee table.

"Eric's plotted out a few of Dracula's hiding places, but a couple, well, we don't understand how he can get to them."

Eric shifted nervously and quickly positioned himself behind Willow before speaking, "We believe that the whole turning in to mist thing is merely an illusion, so he can't get through any of the blocked tunnels that way."

Spike looked thoughtfully at the places marked out on the map. There were a couple that he'd imagine Vlad would stay in, but most of them seemed to be obvious dead ends. There was a moment of inner conflict, where he wondered whether or not to let the White hats know that they were being sent on a wild goose chase, but somehow, the thought of them all getting out of harm's way while this young moron tries to take down Vlad held a certain appeal.

He adopted a grave expression and nodded thoughtfully, "Oh yes, I can see this one right here as an ideal place for him to hang his cape."

Willow furrowed her brow, "But we left it blocked off during the fight with the Chimera. How would he get in?" 

Spike looked sheepish, "Well, there was actually another entrance." He added hastily at Willow's dark look, "Hey, it was back when I was evil, so don't blame me for not telling before. Sides, you got all the Chimera, so no harm done."

"Right," Willow said skeptically, but circled the location on the map. "You're sure this is where he'd go?"

"Of course," he answered, "It's got all the amenities a vamp could wish for, plus access through the tunnels to prime hunting ground." Which was true, even if Vlad was more the type to simply rent out a large mansion or check into a hotel, for the average vamp it was a cozy little nest. Which meant that the group would find enough vampires to keep them occupied.

Eric watched him in mild shock. The young man must have thought he was going to be turned in and didn't know what to make of Spike's continued cooperation. He managed to pull himself together before Willow turned to him.

"What do you think?"

"Well," he answered, still a bit off kilter, though Willow seemed to dismiss it. Probably just thought it was being in the same room as the evil undead issues. "Over the years he's established a fairly specific pattern and if he keeps to it, then that would be the most likely place he'd go."

  
"I just wish we could figure out what keeps bringing him here every year. It's like clockwork, he shows up, kills a few random people, apparently just feeding, and then leaves a couple of weeks later. There's no mystical correspondences and the only thing happening in town is the annual auction at the Doll Museum." Willow grumbled. 

Eric tensed a bit and Spike shot him a warning glare. Eric swallowed and looked away quickly, "I haven't been able to figure it out, either. It's almost like he comes here on holiday. Maybe he's just trying to get away from it all. I mean, what better place for a vampire to summer than on the Hellmouth?" he said.

Spike shrugged, "Could very well be, I suppose. Odd bloke. And very tricky. You'll need some backup..." he offered, a little half-heartedly.

"Well, we'd invite you along on the hunt, but we're leaving while it's still daylight. Hopefully a small element of surprise will help." Willow gathered the maps and stuffed them back in her bag. "Until then I'd appreciate it if you'd keep watching Xander for me." She handed the bag to Eric.

"Will you go put this out in the car for me?" 

Eric looked like he was being offered a new car from Bob Barker, "Of course," he answered hurriedly, and started backing out of the apartment, "Er, you will be all right, won't you?" he asked.

Willow waved him off, "Yes, yes, we've explained this before. Good, decent, kitten loving vampire, here."

As soon as he was gone, Willow turned to Spike. She bit her bottom lip and searched for words, "Um, Spike...you haven't noticed anything, um, odd with Xander lately, have you?"

"Odder than usual you mean? I don't think Dracula's got any hold on him, Red." Spike answered.

Willow shook her head, "No, I don't mean buttmonkey odd, I mean, odd in general. He seems, I don't know, off somehow."

"Off?" Spike asked, and tried to keep a neutral expression. Willow clearly wasn't buying it. He tried not to cringe under her scrutiny.

"Yes," she said slowly, and regarded him suspiciously, "He's been kind of withdrawn, lately. And jumpy. I think he may be hiding something." Spike wondered if she was trying some sort of mojo on him, but decided that this was just the full force of something Xander had referred to as 'resolve face'.

"It's not a Dracula's evil bug eating minion secret," she continued, "I think it's something that's affecting him on a personal level. You wouldn't happen to know what it was would you?"

"Me?" he was pretty sure he didn't squeak. Full grown vampires didn't squeak. Or talk to themselves. Clearly he'd been spending too much time around Xander. "Why would I know anything, not that there's anything to know..." And now he was babbling. Brilliant.

Willow quirked an eyebrow, "Um, maybe because you've been rooming with him for a while now and would see him more than the rest of us." She shook her head. "Never mind, Spike. When Xander's ready to talk about it, I'm sure he'll come to me."

She seemed satisfied enough with that reasoning and Spike found himself with the odd desire to let out a sigh of relief. Evil Black Magic Woman Willow would have been preferable than her in this current over protective mode.

He shook his head. He was channeling Xander again. Clearly it was a sign of yet another oncoming apocalypse. 

Willow smiled brightly and headed for the door. Spike's inner Victorian gentleman had him escorting her to the door before he even realized it. He was happy he just didn't bow or kiss her hand. It took him years to get rid of his mother's rigorous training, and that terrible mistake he called a soul had brought much of it back.

"Take good care of Xander." Willow ordered.

Spike rolled his eyes, "I already agreed to watch him for you. Don't worry, I won't let any nasties get a hold of him."

She looked like she wanted to roll her own eyes, "Just take care of him." Her face suddenly got dead serious, "Cause if you find out you hurt him, well, I'll have to kill you with my shovel." With that lovely sentiment and a quick bright smile, she took off down the hall, leaving a fairly confused vampire gaping out the doorway.

Spike gathered what was left of his wits and closed and locked the door. He headed into the kitchen and had put a kettle on to boil before remembering that Xander wasn't likely to have anything remotely palatable in the way of tea. Then he mentally smacked himself. Hard.

He sat in the living room and wondered for a moment why it was so quiet in the apartment, before realizing he hadn't bothered to tell Xander he could come out of his room. Well, Xander wouldn't have to know how long it took.

He knocked on the door but didn't get an answer. They hadn't been out there long enough for him to fall back asleep, really. He opened the door a crack and peered in. And blinked.

The window was wide open and there was no Xander anywhere in the room. Spike sighed. Willow was going to kill him.


	11. My god, there's even more talking

I'm a terrible person. Truly. Sorry this took so and is so short. Terrible writer's block and acute laziness are all I have for a defense. *sobs* Anyway, I changed the last chapter's ending almost immediately after I wrote it, so I hope this isn't too confusing. Thanks for all the great reviews. You guys rock so much!

After a while, Xander gave up on the whole not listening thing. He wasn't really a risk, after all. And it wasn't like he could help it anyway. Thanks to thin walls and really good hearing, he heard most of the discussion and had to shake his head.

Spike was up to something. Which really shouldn't have been a surprise but still...they'd come to trust the new soul, and well, Spike in general. So if the vampire was sending his friends on a wild goose chase, there had to be a reasonable explanation. Right?

Xander really wanted to pace, and would have if the room wasn't quite so small. With his luck he'd stumble and break something and have no way of explaining why he was agitated and would seem buttmonkeyish to everyone and.

He shook his head and groaned. How he was expected to stand being cooped up like this was beyond him. He sighed and stared out the window. At that point, he was past brooding and right into a good sulk.

Something to do. He wandered slowly around his room eyeing everything with little interest. He checked his clock, made his bed and checked the voicemail on his phone.

One message, from very early in the morning.

"Xander, it's your mother. Vlad is here and we've had a very interesting conversation. I think you'd better get your tush over here. I have a few things to discuss with you young man..."

Xander hit the disconnect button and grimaced.

Those two, in the same room, talking about him. This was so not of the good. He had to get out of there. He looked towards the door and quickly discounted that route. Then he eyed his window. And sighed.

He cursed under his breath as he climbed up on the dresser and squeezed through the small window. Looking out, he found a very convienent drainpipe he could cling to and swing down.

"Too convienent," he thought to himself. He'd have to do something about that later.

From the drain pipe, he made it onto the ledge, which was quite small, barely enough space for his heels, but he managed to cling to the walls well enough to make it around to the fire escape, and from there, smooth sailing until his feet touched the pavement.

He was feeling pretty darn good about his daring escape, ignoring the little nagging voice shouting all the what ifs at him, when he walked around the corner and right into a man. 

"Oh, sorry. My fault, I wasn't looking where I was going." he said to him and stepped to the side.

The man, dressed in a suit jacket and trousers stepped with him, "I guess the elevator must be out, today."

Xander froze. "Er, what do you mean." he asked and gave his most unthreatening look.

The man just quirked and eyebrow and looked pointedly up at the window Xander had emerged from.

"Oohh, that?" Xander tried to suppress a wince, "My, uh, cat gets angry when I leave him alone. Pees all over everything..."

"Uh huh." was the reply. 

Xander blinked and started walking around him, only to be stopped by a badge waved in his face.

"Oh." Xander said, simply.

The detective smiled humorlessly, "Yeah, oh. So you want to tell my the real reason you're doing a Spiderman impersonation?"

"I didn't know climbing out my own window was against the law," Xander shot back.

The detective narrowed his eyes, "Not as much against the law as it is suspicious. There was a murder here last night and I'm just keeping an eye our for any suspicious behavior. "

"I didn't kill Mrs. Barry." he said. 

"Of course you didn't." was the dour reply. "But a nice young man like you with your interesting habits seems likely to stumble on something that could help us out. Like, say, how the killer got in and out of the building without anyone getting a look at him..."

Xander took a deep breath, "Look, I didn't kill Mrs. Barry. I liked her. She makes, er, made me cookies on holidays. I snuck out of my apartment like that because I didn't want to disturb my...roommate. He works nights."

The detective studied him, "You sound like a very considerate roommate." After a quick narrowing of the eyes, the detective smiled, "And I'm sure you'd be only to happy to help us if you remember anything."

Xander took the card the man offered him and blinked. "Detective Kimberly?"A snicker starts to form, but is quickly squelched by the look on the other man's face. "Er, good name." he says as he backs away from the police officer, quickly. "I'll be sure to call you if I stumble across anything."

Detective Kimberly shakes his head as the young man runs off, and turns his glare to the cards. His partner would pay for that.

Xander walked up the driveway to his house with trepidation. His dad's car was still in the driveway, and all the shades were pulled down in the house. He stopped at the door, tried to gather his courage, failed and knocked anyway.

His mother opened the door and glared at him.

"And where have you been, mister?" she asked.

Xander rolled his eyes, "I was put under house arrest because somebody," he glared into the room, "doesn't know how to keep a low profile."

Smooth laughter drifted out of the door. 

"Let him alone, Jessica. He was very busy, this morning I'm sure."

Jessica Harris shrugged and pulled him inside with a grin. "Well, it's not like he calls or drops by anymore. He's off with his own life now..."

Xander groaned and tuned her out, and walked past the entranced Mr. Harris without batting an eyelash. Though he couldn't resist giving his immobile adoptive father a pat on the head as he passed.

Dracula sat at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee. The pile of pictures scattered around the table unnerved him.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

His mom patted him on the arm as she took a seat next to Vlad. "We're just reminiscing." she said and held up a photo. "Remember Miss Babs?" she asked and displayed a six-year-old Xander snuggled up to a Barbie doll.

Xander paid the photo no heed, and instead glared fiercely at Vlad. "Somehow, I don't think father came all this way to look at baby pictures." he spit, "Though I know you never cared one way or the other what he does when he comes for his visits," He cut his eyes to his mother.

The affable look quickly evaporated to be replaced by a pinched and pissed expression. "Alexander, I don't know what's gotten into you..."

Xander cut his mother off with a snort. "Well, I'm sorry that I'm acting out of sorts. Maybe I just didn't get enough sleep since I was put on loony watch last night. Or it could be because father dearest handed me over to a vampire named Spike, and I'll just leave it up to your imagination how he got that name."

Dracula quirked and eyebrow, "Well, I wouldn't say, handed. It was more of a business transaction..."

Xander cut him off, though only with a dark glare. His father blinked at the ferocity of it and his mother's eyebrows shot up. It really was a very Vlad expression.

An expression Xander was completely oblivious to, but still. 

"You aren't here just for me. And whatever you've come here to do, I'd give some serious thoughts to finding some other way to amuse yourself." he addressed the vampire, and shot an annoyed look at his mother. "And are the baby pictures really necessary?"

Jessica looked back and forth between the two men in her kitchen, before leveling her gaze at Vlad.

"You sold my son to Spike?"

"Well, not exactly..."

"You told me you found him a caretaker." she shot back.

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose, "I did, but Spike's a bit strange. It's the Aurelous bloodline, makes them all a bit...off. And very proprietary. They have a very over protective stance on things they consider theirs."

Jessica rolled her eyes, "And of course asking him for help would be right out."

He smirked, "Well being forthright would hardly be fitting for one from the Dracul bloodline. Don't you agree, Xander?"

He looked over at a glaring Xander.

"You are a very odd man." Xander said after a pause. He sighed and slumped into a chair. "How much longer are you going to be here?"

Dracula smiled, "Just long enough to make sure your caretaker is doing his job."

Xander looked at him dully, "And just what exactly is Spike supposed to do?"

"Oh the usual, watch you back, attempt to talk you out of throwing yourself into fights to save a Slayer," he grimaced at the word, "and hopefully to get you to finally feed."

Xander winced and his mother shot him a sharp look. 

"Alexander, have you not been feeding?" she asked.

With a quick glare at Vlad, he gave his mom his best pokey little puppy look, "Umm..."

She let out and irritated breath and turned her glare to her co-spawner. "And how long have you known about this?" she asked in a deceptively sweet voice. She had a dangerous smile on her face, which grew larger and more sinister as Vlad fidgeted nervously in his seat.

"I think he realized it the time he hypnotized me and made me his bug-eating slave." Xander said and started easing himself out of the chair.

"What?" Jessica yelled.

Vlad glared at his son, who had made it halfway through the kitchen, before Jessica reached out and physically turned his face back toward her.

"I would like an answer mister," she snapped, and without even turning shouted, "And Xander, you better sit you fanny back in that chair, I'm not even close to being done with you!"

Xander froze and cursed under his breath. With a sullen sigh and a final longing glance at the door leading to his freedom, he turned around and went back to his seat.

"Now," Jessica said in an oddly malevolent, yet cheerful tone that made both of the men in the kitchen sit up straight and look quite wary, "Let's have a nice little family chat, shall we?"


	12. Stuff actually happens

Wow, 12 chapters. This just amazes me. And over 100 reviews! *does a happy dance* Thanks so much to everyone reading and reviewing this. Writing in itself is pretty fun, but your feedback has made this an amazing experience.

Warning: There is male/male interaction in this chapter. About freaking time, I know. It's not very detailed which works for ff.net I suppose, though that's really due to inexperience. Bear with me, please.

Spike was pacing. Again. In the span of a night and a half, he'd done more pacing than over the whole of his vampiric existence. He was starting to wonder if he had been too hard on Angelus after all. Next time he saw the man, he'd have to buy him a drink. If rearing a Childe was always this difficult then that could blame the bastard for going insane and trying to end the world.

He thought about calling in the white hats, but if Xander was with Dracula, then things could get very sticky. Though if he was with Dracula, things could already be sticky. He glared at the pile of items on the kitchen table. He had his tarp, spray paint, and various weapons Xander had laying around just in case he needed to go rescue the boy. Xander's cell phone laid there as well.

He was insanely grateful that no one had been around to see the mild panic attack he suffered when he found the room was empty. And that no one had seen him tear apart the room trying to find the young man, even though he clearly couldn't hear that familiar heartbeat.

He had then scented the room, and apart from the near sentient sandwich under the dresser, no other living thing had been in this room aside from Xander in a long time. That made him smile for some reason.

So he didn't think Xander was taken, and he didn't see a big splotch on the ground so he was pretty sure that Xander was all right. Not where he could see him and not thinking about the worried vampire in his apartment, but otherwise alive and well. He growled under his breath and grabbed the tarp.

"I'm starting to think I got the bad end of this deal," he grumbled.

A knock at the door ended his grumbling and he dropped the tarp where he stood in his haste to get to the door. He flung it open, ignoring the mental voice snarking that Xander would hardly knock on his own door. The man standing on the other side of the door jumped slightly as the door was flung wide.

Detective Kimberly stood stock still for a moment, staring at the snarling man in front of him. Suddenly the kid's tetchy roommate story seemed a bit more probable.

"What do you want?" Spike asked tersely. He peered around the man and to the left and right, but there was no Xander in the hallway.

The detective shook himself and flashed his badge. He started to speak, but was quickly cut off.

Spike's unbeating heart somehow managed to skip a beat, which was a very unpleasant feeling. "Where is he? What happened?" he demanded, in a tone way stronger than he currently felt.

The detective couldn't quite believe the man could get even paler. He put on his best 'calm the jumper down' face. "I assume you mean your roommate?"

"Roommate, sure, where is he?" 

Kimberly shrugged, "Don't know, though I last saw him walking off towards downtown. Said he snuck out to avoid waking you."

"Oh." Spike said. "So he isn't in any trouble?"

"And why would you think he'd be in trouble, Mr....?"

Spike narrowed his eyes at the cop, "No reason, just a little silly concern. Usually he gives me a kiss before he leaves or at least leaves a love note." Spike said with a sickly sweet smile. At the sign of the detective's discomfort, the vampire batted his eyelashes. "You know how it is, that honeymoon phase. I just hate to have my Muffin out of my sight."

"Oh," Kimberly replied. "Do you know why he would be climbing down a drainpipe?"

"A drainpipe?" Spike asked, the complete picture of innocent confusion. "Why that rascal, he prolly snuck out to surprise me with something. It's a little game we play, you see. It's his turn. Last time, I snuck into his office, stripped naked and.."

"Er, thank you, that's more than enough explanation." the detective said, quickly. "I just wanted to ask a few questions about the murder last night."

"Ah, the old woman, what was her name, again?" Spike asked.

"Mrs. Barry. You don't know her?"

Spike shrugged, "Oh, yes Barry. I don't know her personally. Xander's mentioned her before, though. He liked her. Reminded him of his grandmother, I think." He shook his head, "Terrible thing to happen. I've been trying to get Xander to move for quite some time. Maybe this'll convince him."

The detective quirked an eyebrow, "Something you don't like about this place? Seems nice enough to me, not counting brutal homicide."

Spike tilted his head and shrugged again, "That's the problem. There've been some strange types hanging around here. Nasty looking blokes. I don't know why no one's reported them before, but it's been making me nervous."

"Can you describe these people?" the detective inquired.

Inwardly, Spike cackled. Some days it was too easy. "Not too extraordinary looking blokes, but the way they carry themselves really caught my eye. They seemed furtive, and they all dressed the same, green shirts with a funny charm around their neck."

Detective Kimberly took out his notebook and began taking notes. "And about how many of them have you seen?"

"Dunno, maybe five, possibly more, at the most ten." he answered dutifully. "I'm pretty sure they have a pad on the third floor. I know that's usually the button they push when I'm in an elevator with them." He gave an over dramatic shudder. "If you want I can sketch out the emblem they wear." He offered and took the notebook, barely keeping the evil smirk at bay as he drew.

The detective nodded at this. "Great, thanks. Anything else you can remember?"

"Nothing else comes to mind," Spike answered and handed back the notebook.

The other man closed his notebook with a snap and produced a card, "I gave one to your friend, but just in case you think of something before he gets back, call me. Thank you for your time." With another nod of his head, he turned to go and Spike began to close the door, when the detective quickly stuck his hand into the doorway, catching it before it closed.

Spike sighed and opened the door again. "Something you forgot officer?"

Detective Kimberly blinked, "What is that?" he asked and pointed to the pile of knives, swords, crossbows and axes on the table.

Spike barely managed to suppress a cringe, "We're...really into the renaissance festival scene." he said in what he thought was a fairly casual and straightforward manner. 

The detective narrowed his eyes, then blinked again, "You have a permit for all of them I'm sure."

Spike nodded, "Of course."

"Right then. Thank you again for your help."

This time he did leave and Spike allowed himself a sigh of relief. He had to admit that this development worried him. A police officer actually showing signs of competence could make their lives very complicated. He was fairly confident that he had sufficiently thrown the man off the trail, though. As amusing as the thought of Vlad locked up and wearing the finest in prison orange was, he knew it was more likely to end with several police dead and a world of trouble for Xander.

Spike shook his head. Xander let himself be seen by a cop investigating the murder in his building. That boy couldn't stay out of trouble even if he was locked up in a nice safe padded cell. Though Spike had a terrible feeling he'd be the one that actually ended up there.

Maybe FTD had a 'sorry for betraying you to a slayer and later torturing you with hot pokers' bouquet.

He shook himself. This was exactly the kind of thing he was worried about. Maybe he wasn't cut out for Sirehood. He found himself idly clicking the detective's pen and smiled. He hadn't lied about the people hanging around the building lately and he had no problem setting the cops in their direction. The little known cult to a lesser-known demon was really mostly harmless. Their constant leaflets stuck in the doorways and donation requests however got old really quickly.

He chuckled to himself as he put away the emergency Xander rescue kit. That detective fellow had served another purpose than just getting revenge on those zealots down the hall. He'd given Spike a bit of peace of mind. Now he was fairly sure Xander hadn't been forcibly kidnapped. Possessed, compelled or coerced perhaps, but not bodily drug out by god knows what.

He was debating whether to put away the battle-axe or to leave it out just in case, when the door burst open and Xander staggered in. He slammed the door behind himself and locked it, before slumping wearily against the wall. He looked up at Spike with slightly haunted eyes.

"So, anybody call while I was gone?" Xander asked.

Spike looked at him, fairly stunned. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick!"

Xander's head snapped up, "You were worried?"

"You didn't even leave a note!"

A smile appeared on Xander's face, "You were worried."

Spike snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I was annoyed. You didn't even call. What if Willow came back or had wanted to say goodbye?"

Xander shrugged, "You would have thought of something. You're good at that kind of thing." He laughed. " I can't believe you were worried."

"Annoyed," Spike said, halfheartedly. He stood there rigidly, using all his willpower not to run over to the young man and inspect every inch of him to make sure he was unharmed. "Where have you been?"

Xander raised his eyebrows, "Fine, you were annoyed." he said. "About being worried." He pushed away from his comfy wall and went to slump down on to the couch. "And I was at my parents' house. Vlad was there."

Spike cringed. The Harrises were nothing to scoff at. He'd only had limited amounts of exposure to them in person, but he had heard plenty during his stay in the basement. These people shouldn't be allowed to own guppies, much less raise a child. And with Vlad there as well...

Xander instinctively curled into Spike as the vampire joined him on the couch. The rumbling purr from his Sire's chest immediately eased most of the tension he was carrying from his old home. He sighed as he felt Spikes long fingers stroke through his hair and didn't even flinch when his own body responded to Spike's with a purr. It was strange, but it felt right.

Spike rested his head on Xander's and it felt funny when his jaw moved against Xander's skull as he spoke.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Xander shrugged. "Not much. We talked, well, mostly mom talked and my father and I nodded and quickly found religion." he sighed deeply, "My family is complicated."

Spike snickered, "Now there's the understatement of the century."

Xander rolled his eyes, "And you would know, seeing as how you've seen all of the century, Deadboy Jr." He smirked at the vampire's rumbling growl.

Spike rolled his eyes. Xander sighed in his arms and the vampire couldn't help but smile. He had a Childe. He never really thought he would. After spending over a century taking care of Dru, it just hadn't seemed necessary. But this...this was good.

He wasn't sure why he did it, but it felt right to bend down and capture Xander's mouth with his own. With the tiniest of pauses Xander started kissing back, and pulled Spike down on top of him. Thinking wasn't even an option. Xander groaned and shifted underneath him.

Instinctively Spike moved against him, getting another groan and wiggle in response. He grinned into Xander's mouth and started a rhythm that Xander quickly matched. Gasps and moans bounced off the apartment walls, building up to a strangled shout, which was quickly followed by a sharp gasp.

The two men lay there panting and boneless. Spike's eyes were drifting closed when he found himself unceremoniously flung off of the younger man. He hit floor hard enough to knock the air out of a mortal.

"What the hell was that?" A wide-eyed Xander yelped, "And where did my shirt go?"

Spike pushed himself off of the floor, and rubbed his mildly bruised backside, "That was sex." he said bluntly, and blinked, more than a little out of sorts himself.

"Uh, maybe it was more like heavy petting," Xander tried to rationalize, somewhat, "I mean, we didn't even take out pants off."

Spike stared pointedly at Xander's crotch and the younger man followed his gaze.

"When did that happen?" he shrieked.

Spike winced at the sharp tone and shrugged helplessly. His mind was spinning as he tried, himself, to recall what had happened. This was...unexpected.

Xander propped himself up and pulled his pants back up. He looked around and found his mostly shredded shirt, muttering to himself the entire time. "I don't think this was covered in the puppet show."

"The what?" Spike asked, warily.

Xander blushed. "Oh, uh, when Willow was eight, she read about human reproduction and decided to educate me and Jessie with anatomically correct sock puppets."

Spike shook his head, "Now I see why your sex life has become a legend in the Slayer's merry band."

Xander rolled his eyes, "Well, congratulations, you've just become a part of the legacy." He cleaned himself up with the remains of his shirt and passed part of it to Spike, "Besides, it's not like I got better information from anyone else. My parents never bothered."

"Really?" Spike asked and smirked, "That's a shame, seeing as how your mother and you seem to share certain...ow!"

"No!" Xander shouted and hefted another shoe ready to let it fly if Spike continued, "We are not talking about my mother's sex life."

Spike grumbled and rubbed his head, "Fine, no talking about you and mother's common fetish for the..." he trailed off as Xander waved the shoe meaningfully and glared.

"So." Xander said. And sat there with a perplexed expression.

"Er, yeah, so." Spike replied and sat down next to him.

Silence ensued for an apparent millennium, until the phone rang. Both men leapt up, grateful for the intervention.

Xander reached it first, and clenched the receiver like a lifeline.

"Hello?"


End file.
